By KEVIN McGILL
Associated Press Writer
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 also focused on the city's
violent crime and slumping finances.
Flanked by family members including his father and his sister,
U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., Landrieu said the victory showed
voters had decided to "strike a blow for unity."
Voting came amid Carnival celebrations and preparations for the
New Orleans Saints' appearance in the Super Bowl on Sunday.
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.
With all precincts reporting, Landrieu had 66 percent of the
vote.
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.
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.
Landrieu rarely directly mentioned Nagin during the campaign but
lamented the city's numerous problems, including violent crime that
has resulted in 189 homicides since Jan. 1, 2009 and seemingly
hamstrung efforts to restore infrastructure damaged by Katrina in
parts of the city.
"They just don't see anything going on," Landrieu said last
week after numerous New Orleans musicians, among them Allen
Toussaint, Branford and Ellis Marsalis, Irma Thomas, Pete Fountain,
Terence Blanchard and Kermit Ruffins announced an endorsement.
"They want someobdy with the experience to make it happen."
Landrieu, an attorney, gained his experience during 16 years
representing New Orleans in the state House and then as lieutenant
governor. He's in his second year in that post where, aside from
being first in the succession line if something happens to the
governor, he has headed up cultural and tourism efforts.
Mitch Landrieu is the fifth child of nine born to Moon and Verna
Landrieu. Moon - former state legislator, former mayor, former
Carter administration cabinet member and retired state judge - is
the patriarch of a politically active family that includes U.S.
Sen. Mary Landrieu, and a local judge.
The Landrieus have enjoyed a generally good relationship with
black voters, owing in part to Moon Landrieu being one of the few
white lawmakers to stand up to those trying to maintain segregation
in the civil rights era. As mayor, he was the first to appoint
blacks to higher-ranking positions at City Hall.
Nagin, who was in Miami for the Super Bowl, could not be reached
for comment.
Associated Press reporter Cain Burdeau in New Orleans
contributed to this story.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
