Landrieu Wins NoLA Mayor's Race
'94/'06 candidate/LG Mitch Landrieu (D) won the New Orleans mayoral race on Saturday, becoming the city's first white mayor since his father, Moon Landrieu, left office 32 years ago. Landrieu captured 66% of the vote, besting the five other major candidates and avoiding the expected runoff.
"The people of the city of New Orleans did an extraordinary thing today. They decided to stick a pole in the ground. ... The city decided to be unified rather than divided," Landrieu said in his victory speech tonight. "We took a huge leap forward today, and we showed America what it takes to rebuild."
"We're not leaving anybody behind," Landrieu continued. "This campaign was about a lot of things, about all of us coming together to make sure our city is safe, about making sure every child has a right to learn. ... This campaign was about making sure all men and women ... have an opportunity to get a great job. Most importantly, the people of New Orleans understand it has fallen on our shoulders to serve."
Landrieu entered the race late, announcing his candidacy in December, but as the biggest name in the contest - in addition to being the son of the ex-mayor, Landrieu is the brother of Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) - Landrieu quickly shot up in the polls. He narrowly lost the '06 contest to incumbent Mayor Ray Nagin (D).
Still, observers did not expect that Landrieu would capture the office in the first shot, as runoffs have been necessary in every election not featuring an incumbent since New Orleans started its open-primary system in '75. Either businessman John Georges (D), who put $3.4M of his own money in his camp, or businessman Troy Henry (D), who put $500K of his own money in his camp, were expected to capture enough votes to force a runoff. Henry ended up with 14% of the vote, while Georges got 9%.
A record-breaking 16K early votes were cast, and there was a strong showing at the polls today, even though observers expected low turnout because of this weekend's distractions of Mardi Gras festivities and the Saint's Super Bowl debut.
"About 3 minutes ago I got a text message from Rita Benson LeBlanc and she said, 'The people of the city did their part, now it's time for us to do ours,'" Landrieu said in his victory speech, referencing the Saints' part owner. "Right now, what we're going to do is get ready for the Saints to take it all the way and bring the Super Bowl home for us!"
Landrieu will take office May 6. Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) will appoint a new LG, subject to the approval of two-thirds of both houses of the Legislature, to be in office until a new LG can be elected through special election. The LG special election primary will be held 10/2 and the general will be 11/2
66% is a strong showing for LA.
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I am a creole from New Orleans. I am a native son who has been away from New Orleans for over 20 years. As a St. Augustine Grad as well as a Xavier, Loyola, and Tulane Universities.Also, I have attended Golden Gate University grad school in San Francisco I have lived in San Francisco and now Washington, DC. I am proud of New Orleans for electing not a white canidate but who they think is the best canidate. That does not mean the other canidates where not qualified. Many of them are such as Mr. Troy Henry who placed second. But, of this is impartant. What is impartant is the well being of the city. I personnally felt that Mr. Troy Henry was the best canidate. But, it again does not matter. Now that we have a white mayor. I say this not to say it matters but to point out the accomplishment of the city in terms of how they veiw the world. Allow to explain. Hear you have a city that is mojority African-American and they elected a white canidate. This speaks volumes. I have seen this kind of thing before when San Francisco elected Willie Brown and African-American candidate that was the former speaker of the house in California in a city that was only approximately 20% African-American. I just who an pray that the old rule does not suface. Because then we will have to view this as reverse reverse reverse discrimination. O hope and pray the city has really come together and I mean everyone. Just a native son speaking out. Now go Saints
Hello, nice comment. I look forward to your next article. Thanks, Joanna
I'll bet Dutch Morial is rolling over in his coffin. I can't wait until Mitch cleans out the insolent, lazy employess at City Hall and replaces them with polite people who are grateful to have a civil service job. I am so tired of people mumbling at me when I call on the phone or 'accidentally' disconnecting me when they are expected to do their jobs. It's really sad when Raising Cane's and Whole Foods have a better crop of employees han the City of New Orleans. For thirty years the citizens of New Orleans have endured this malfeasnce perpetrated on us. I hope that Mitch has the ba**s to do something about it in the form of plenty ponk slips.
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