Oklahoma woman named Miss USA
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Olivia Jordan of Oklahoma is crowned 2015 Miss USA by Miss USA 2014 Nia Sanchez after winning the 2015 Miss USA beauty pageant in Baton Rouge, Louisiana July 12, 2015. [Photo/Agencies] |
The other finalists came from Rhode Island, Maryland and Nevada, with Texas' Ylianna Guerra winning first runner-up.
Several of the top 15 finishers spoke of their Latin American heritage, including Rhode Island's Anea Garcia, who was raised by her grandmother, an immigrant from the Dominican Republic. Garcia came in third among 51 contestants.
One segment focused specifically on contestants' multi-cultural backgrounds, with the women speaking in taped segments about being bi-racial or coming from immigrant families.
Among the few indirect or veiled references to Trump's remarks, Miss USA 2013 Erin Brady said during a live interview that she was happy to be on hand cheering the contestants on, "especially given the chaos of the past two weeks."
Game show host Todd Newton and former Miss USA Alex Wehrley shared hosting duties after MSNBC newsman Thomas Roberts and "Dancing With the Stars" host Cheryl Burke dropped out.
Hinting at the controversy, Newton referred at the show's outset to "what has become the most anticipated and what will be the most exciting night in recent pageant history."
Jordan will represent the United States at the Miss Universe pageant.
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