BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) -- For weeks the Miss USA pageant has been overshadowed by comments made by Donald Trump denigrating Mexican immigrants.
But as women from across the country take the stage Sunday, organizers have hoped the focus will finally shift to the talented women taking part in the 64th annual contest.
The president of the Miss Universe Organization, Paula Shugart, said the pageant was set to be a celebration about the women.
Trump has co-owned the Miss Universe Organization, which has produced the pageant taking place this year in Baton Rouge.
Comments he made in June blaming Mexican immigrants for bringing drugs and crime to the U.S. sparked widespread fallout against the entrepreneur's business empire, including the contest.
(Copyright 2015 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
