The next big political campaign in the New Orleans area will be the race for Mayor. Incumbent Mayor Ray Nagin is term limited and cannot seek re-election. With an open seat, there will be a large list of candidates entering the race. Qualifying does not start until early December, with the election scheduled to be held next February.  

 

It is not too early to start looking at the list of potential candidates. Among potential African American candidates, two legislators are already acting like candidates. State Representative Austin Badon (D-New Orleans) and State Senator Ed Murray (D-New Orleans) have been positioning to run for Mayor. Some political insiders are also encouraging another prominent legislator, State Representative Karen Carter Peterson (D-New Orleans), to enter the campaign. James Perry, Executive Director of the Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center is also considering the race. He recently sent a letter to friends and associates seeking input about the campaign. He said the response has been so positive that he is leaning toward entering the race if he can raise the necessary campaign funds. Perry believes that the serious mayoral candidates must have at least $1 million in campaign funds. According to Perry, he is the best candidate because most of the other potential candidates are politicians who have squandered the opportunity to show leadership.

 

This particular election will surely attract a host of interesting African American candidates. Orleans Parish political heavyweights such as Criminal Sheriff Marlin Gusman and Civil Court Sheriff Paul Valteau may be tempted to jump into the race. In addition, more unusual candidates such as trumpeter Irvin Mayfield, funeral director Emile Labat, businessman Roy Glapion, Jr., and WDSU-TV news anchor Norman Robinson may also consider throwing their hat in the ring.

 

There will also be several serious white candidates. With the election of a white District Attorney in New Orleans and a Vietnamese-American in the race for Congress, many political observers believe that in a post-Katrina New Orleans a white candidate has a chance to win. There has not been a white Mayor of New Orleans since Moon Landrieu thirty years ago.

 

Among the potential white candidates, one politician looms the largest, Lt. Governor Mitch Landrieu. With universal name recognition and favorable approval ratings, it is no surprise that Landrieu is leading in the initial polls. Yet, he has lost two races for Mayor, including the 2006 run-off campaign to Ray Nagin, so he might not launch a third try. In addition, Landrieu is viewed as a successful Lt. Governor who may be a future candidate for Governor. If Governor Jindal stumbles, Landrieu might be the Democratic Party’s best hope to challenge the Republican incumbent in 2011. At this point, Landrieu is still weighing his options. If he decides to run, Councilman-at-large Arnie Fielkow will forgo the mayor’s race and likely run for re-election to the Council. If Landrieu opts out of the campaign, Fielkow will definitely run and will start the campaign as the leading candidate.

Other candidates will make their decision regardless of what Landrieu does. Businessman John Georges is being encouraged to run by a variety of community leaders. He could enter the campaign as an independent candidate working to appeal to both white and black voters. Considering he was unknown statewide at the beginning of the Governor’s race in 2007, his third place finish in that race was impressive.  

 

Attorney and former mayoral candidate Rob Couhig, a Republican, may run again. In 2006, Couhig finished fourth, but made a very influential endorsement of Ray Nagin in the run-off. The move alienated many of his supporters and with Nagin’s poor second term performance, the decision may come back to haunt Couhig if he attempts another campaign. 

 

There have also been curious “Eddie” billboards appearing around New Orleans. This is an attempt by supporters of Eddie Sapir to encourage him to run for Mayor. Sapir is a former Judge and Councilman-at-large and a very skilled politician. There is no doubt that he would be a formidable candidate if he decided to become a candidate.  

   

Regardless of the exact field of candidates, it will be an expensive and interesting race, one that will be one of the most important in the history of New Orleans. It is critical that the next Mayor lead a renaissance of the Crescent City and move New Orleans in a positive direction. The lack of growth and stagnation since Katrina, coupled with a serious crime problem, has harmed New Orleans in many serious ways.

 

At this point, we will not know the full extent of the candidate line-up until Mitch Landrieu makes up his mind. If he decides to run, he will be the front runner. If not, then expect Landrieu to set his sights on the Governor’s Mansion in the not too distant future.