Gary Carters’ landslide victory was predictable. But his was just the first domino to fall in the upcoming political season that will be thrilling and fun to watch. Some races will pit heavyweight names against each other. Political alliances will be tested. Old school politics and new age thinking face off. Young versus old. Established versus the past. City council races matter.
Let’s look at the easiest through the most competitive.
STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 102
The easiest and least expensive race will be the special election to replace Gary Carter. His house seat is now vacant, and no seat can be open in the state legislature. The governor must call a special election. Two weeks ago, we talked about the complexity of this election for westbank politicians. Click here to read all about it. This will be an inexpensive and easy to win seat. Possible candidates include real estate broker Delisha Boyd, Stephanie Bridges, D’Juan Hernandez. Longtime community activist Kenneth Cutno and a city hall neighborhood engagement specialist Steven Musgrove might also enter the race.
CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT C
Kristen G. Palmer is not seeking reelection to her city council seat. This opening creates more westbank political intrigue. The same candidates who could qualify for the state house seat are the potential entrants in this race. Behind the scenes jockeying and political maneuvering are intense on the westbank now. Winning or losing the House seat virtually eliminates the candidate from this race. And a city council race could easily top $400,000 to win as opposed to the $25,000 it would take to win a special election house seat. Additionally, more high-profile candidates like Roy Glapion or Nadine Ramsey might enter and making winning much more difficult.
CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT E
New Orleans East has long been a political hotbed. From one term incumbents to fiery debates, New Orleans East has birthed legendary politicians like Sherman Copelin and Cynthia Willard Lewis. And current city Council person Cindi Nguyen is known for being everywhere across her district. She says she has been on nearly every street in her district. The people know her.
The biggest district in the city is as diverse as it is wide. From the exclusive Eastover neighborhood to Little Woods and the Lower 9, the district provides the city’s biggest property tax base. But a large field of well-known candidates is ramping up to challenge the popular councilmember. Former state rep John Bagneris, Sherman’s daughter -Michon Copelin, community activist Venessa Gueringer, and the biggest surprise Oliver Thomas are all looking at entering the race. With such a large field a runoff seems likely. Will Oliver Thomas have a compelling message that resonates with voters? Has Cindy Nguyen done enough to satisfy the demanding citizens of the district? Will one of the other candidates attract enough voters and squeak into the runoff?
CITY COUNCIL AT LARGE
This race for the most powerful council seat has attracted the biggest names. Kristen Palmer decided to run citywide. Leaving her District C seat, Ms. Palmer said, “I can accomplish more as a leader of the council than I can as a member.” She will face another council member in Jared Brosset. He is term limited but wants to continue his career serving citywide. Former state senator JP Morrell is yet another big name in this race. He has waited in the wings since being termed out of his senate seat. Another recognizable name is Timothy Ray. He served as the interim clerk of first city court. Although he lost to current clerk Austin Badon, Ray picked up over 30,000 votes.
The biggest issues for voters will be crime, economic development, Sewerage and Water Board billing, Entergy rates and crumbling infrastructure.