After a very slow start the race for Mayor of New Orleans is finally taking shape. Currently, there are six serious candidates: businessman John Georges, businessman Troy Henry, former Orleans Parish School Board Member Leslie Jacobs, State Senator Ed Murray, non-profit housing executive James Perry, and former Judge Nadine Ramsey.
Last week, Jacobs decided to enter the field of candidates, after poll results indicated that the race was winnable. Jacobs is well known to New Orleans voters because of her efforts on behalf of education reform, especially in the Orleans Parish public school system. She has worked for years as an insurance executive and served on the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE). Post-Katrina, Jacobs has been at the forefront of the charter school movement in Louisiana. With New Orleans witnessing significant improvement in the local public education system, Jacobs can claim at least partial credit for pushing for the serious changes that were needed.
It is clear that Jacobs will be a serious contender in this campaign. For many candidates, the most important hurdle is campaign funding, but Jacobs will not have that problem. She announced that she would spend at least $1 million of her own money on the campaign, giving her the second biggest campaign war chest in the race, next to Democrat businessman John Georges.
Because she is making such a large personal investment in the race, Jacobs will not have to spend as much time and effort as the other candidates fundraising. This will give her more time to campaign and build the type of coalitions that are essential to victory in New Orleans. As a white female Democrat, Jacobs is in sync politically with the majority of voters in New Orleans. She also has experience working on educational issues with former Governor Mike Foster, a Republican. Her message of public school reform and charter schools will appeal to Republican voters as well.
In New Orleans, females comprise more than half of the voting electorate. Although no female has ever been elected Mayor, there is no reason to believe that it cannot happen. Jackie Clarkson and Peggy Wilson have been elected to citywide council at-large positions and in 2002 then State Senator Paulette Irons was on the threshold of making the mayoral run-off before a series of campaign missteps doomed her chances.
The challenge for Jacobs will be to make inroads in the African American community, but her longstanding efforts on behalf of public education should make her pitch easier. Jacobs is regarded as a tough fighter and will not shy away from debating the issues with her opponents in the many forums which will be scheduled over the next few months. If she can convince voters that she can handle all of the major issues facing New Orleans, not just education, then Jacobs will in the top tier of candidates with a fighting chance to make the run-off and possibly become the next Mayor of New Orleans.
Will there be any surprise candidates? Certainly, there will be more candidates entering the race, including some unconventional ones. For example, comedian and actor Manny Chevrolet Bruno will almost certainly run again on the slogan, “A troubled man for troubled times.” There are also three other potential candidates who could make a significant impact on the race: musician Irvin Mayfield, attorney Rob Couhig and former Judge and Councilman Eddie Sapir.
Mayfield is a close friend of Mayor Ray Nagin and has a large following in New Orleans. He is not only a trumpet player, but also a cultural ambassador for New Orleans and the owner of a popular jazz club in the French Quarter. He would be an unconventional candidate who might appeal to a cross section of young voters and those interested in promoting the arts.
Couhig could become the only Republican in the race. He is a well-known figure who has been a successful attorney and radio talk show host. He finished fourth in the 2006 mayoral primary election. He eventually endorsed Ray Nagin in the run-off and was one of the major factors in helping Nagin achieve victory. Couhig is considered a long shot because of his connection to the GOP and lingering resentment over his controversial endorsement of Nagin. In contrast, Eddie Sapir could be a major player in the race with a real chance to win. Sapir is a white Democrat who is well liked in the African American community. He has won citywide races before and is a skilled politician. His major problem might be fundraising, although he has been traveling across the country in recent weeks raising money for the race. Sapir has high name recognition and does not need to enter the campaign early, as he is already an established political figure. At this point, there is at least a chance that he will enter the race during qualifying and make an already interesting campaign that much more exciting to watch.