Nagin, Landrieu to Run Off for Mayor of New Orleans
Incumbent, Challenger Call for an End To Racial Divisiveness
Mayor C. Ray Nagin campaigns at a stoplight on Election Day, as New Orleans voters went to the polls for the first time since Hurricane Katrina devastated the city.
(By Alex Brandon -- Associated Press)
TOOLBOX
   Resize
COMMENT
 Discussion Policy
 CLOSE
Comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. Finally, we will take steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or privacy policies or any other policies governing this site. Please review the full rules governing commentaries and discussions. You are fully responsible for the content that you post.
Who's Blogging  |
Sunday, April 23, 2006
NEW ORLEANS, April 22 -- Mayor C. Ray Nagin and his most prominent rival, Lt Gov. Mitch Landrieu, won the most votes among 22 mayoral candidates Saturday, leading to a May 20 runoff that pits the mercurial black incumbent who led the city through Hurricane Katrina against the white scion of one of the state's most notable political families.
As a crowd chanted "Let's Go, Mitch!" at a downtown hotel here, Landrieu thanked his supporters and recalled the events of the deadly storm in a call for racial unity.
"Eight months ago, New Orleanians -- Americans each and every one -- suffered tremendous loss," he told the crowd. "Today we stand together before this great nation and proclaim that although we may be bent, we won't be broken."
Landrieu was the only candidate who drew significant percentages of both black and white voters, according to polls, and he called for pushing off the racial "forces of division" which have characterized post-hurricane politics here.
"We were in the same boat then," he said referring to the floodwaters that followed Katrina, "and we are in the same boat now."
Nagin similarly called for an end to the racial "bickering" in greeting his supporters late Saturday, and said that the rebuilding scheme his administration has created was a product of all the people.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we have a plan -- it's your plan," he told the crowd amid cries of "four more years." "It's time to implement the plan. I am a doer. I am a pusher. I am a maverick. I cross the line occasionally, but I am you."
Nagin took the lion's share of votes on Saturday, capturing 38 percent with 94 percent of the precincts reporting.
"There have been too many people who have said we were dead," Nagin told supporters Saturday night. "But the people -- the people -- have said they like the direction we are going here."
Still, analysts said that the racial divisions that have broadened here since the hurricane likely will play a key role in determining the next mayor -- possibly damaging the Nagin's prospects and boosting Landrieu's.
Nagin has suffered with white voters, according to polls, winning as little as 5 percent of their support. Some of his trouble stems from his remarks in January suggesting that God wanted the city to remain "chocolate." Whatever the reason, the lack of appeal among white voters could hurt him as he seeks to pick up the support of the losing candidates, particularly because black voter turnout is believed to have been low and could be low again in May.
If elected, Landrieu would be the city's first white mayor since 1978, when his father, Moon, left office. Part of his appeal among black voters is attributed to his father's role in integrating the city administration.
