NEW ORLEANS - For the first time since 1978, New Orleans will have a white mayor. Shortly after the polls closed, Lt. Gov. Mitch Landrieu, a two-time loser to capture City Hall, won the election in a run-away, burying the field early.
Greg Rigamer, WWL-TV elections analyst, projected Landrieu the winner 35 minutes after the polls closed.
It was Landrieu’s father, Maurice “Moon†Landrieu, was New Orleans last white mayor.
“Everything that I am looking at tells me that Landrieu will be the next mayor,†said Rigamer at 8:35 p.m. The quick call rippled around the campaign headquarters of several candidates as one, John Georges, gave his concession speech less than an hour after the polls closed.
“This has never been about me, it was never about Mitch or Rob or James or Troy or Nadine. It’s been about the people of New Orleans and how bad we need leadership and we change in our city. It’s about the crime problem that needs to be addressed. It’s been about the potholes and the hospitals that need to be opened and I’ve been assured, Mayor-elect Landrieu said he’s going to get to work right away on those problems.â€
A sign of modernity in the race, candidate Rob Couhig conceded the race via Twitter shortly after 9 p.m.
The night before qualifying Landrieu was a surprising late entry in the race, after saying earlier that he would not run for mayor. His entry had an almost immediate impact as Leslie Jacobs dropped out of the race shortly thereafter and state Sen. Ed Murray, considered a front-runner, also dropped out of the race, after seeing polling data that had Landrieu running far in front.
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