Mitch Landrieu Elected New Mayor of New Orleans

Date: Monday, February 08, 2010, 7:15 am
By: Kevin McGill, Associated Press

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New Orleans Democratic candidate Lt. Gov. Mitch Landrieu greets supporters after his election night party Saturday. (AP)

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Frustrated by term-limited Mayor Ray Nagin's leadership of New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina, voters elected Louisiana Lt. Gov. Mitch Landrieu to succeed him Saturday, turning to a political scion to speed up the city's recovery.

Landrieu, 49, became the majority-black city's first white mayor since 1979, the year his father Moon left the office. The mayor-elect, a moderate Democrat, won in a landslide over a field of 10 opponents in a campaign that concluded as Carnival celebrations and preparations for the New Orleans Saints' appearance in the Super Bowl took place.

Landrieu's victory party was a nod to both: the ballroom of a the Roosevelt hotel — recently reopened after a post-Katrina restoration — was festooned with Saints-themed black and gold balloons. A roving brass band played Mardi Gras tunes and he prefaced his victory speech by leading the crowd in the Saints' "Who Dat" cheer.

"We're all going together and we're not leaving anybody behind," he shouted to a jubilant crowd as family members, including his father and his sister, U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu, stood beside him.

With all of the precincts reporting, Landrieu had 66 percent of the vote.

The campaign also focused on the city's violent crime and slumping finances. Landrieu, who lost to Nagin in a runoff four years ago, was a welcome change for some voters who grew frustrated with the city's current mayor. Little known outside New Orleans before Katrina, Nagin became a central, and sometimes controversial figure, in the city's struggle to recover. Though he won re-election as he courted black voters in the 2006 campaign, Nagin notoriously pledged after the hurricane that New Orleans would be a "chocolate city" again, offending many whites.

Polls showed his popularity fell sharply in the years after the storm.

"I certainly don't want another Ray Nagin — a businessman," said Charlotte Ford, a 76-year-old semi-retiree and registered Republican who voted for Landrieu. "They balk instead of finding out what works, how the system works."

Ursula Murphy and her husband, Bill, voted early so they could avoid traffic caused by the parades. Both cast votes for Landrieu. "After eight years of negative, we're going to see some positive," Bill Murphy said.

___

Associated Press writer Cain Burdeau contributed to this report.


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They'll be high on football, and public profile for a while. Maybe this will****ist, in their efforts to bring equality in opportunity, infuse educational basics, share skills so the people can work, think, and bring themselves to a better existence. (Everywhere needs same, not just New Orleans)


by   
Writertracy
February 8, 2010, 11:38 am
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Power, who's got it? What families hold it to take care of their priorities? The voting blocks (no one, including the winner got a 100%) will have to work their numbers toward their projects. Too bad, too sad, all the time, energy, money, will have to be spent out of pocket to do what people on payrolls are suppose to do, but local, county, state government hasn't done, and may do a little with new leadership. Shame.


by   
Writertracy
February 8, 2010, 11:35 am
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I hope the people of New Orleans give this new mayor the support that they didn't give mayor Nagin. The recovery of this famous city is still a work in progress and unless the federal, state and local governments can come together it may never get back to what it once was. My prayers are with them.


by   
Raj56man
February 8, 2010, 8:10 am
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