A Stunning Primary Knockout
Michelle Woodfork didn’t just win. She ended the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s race in one round.
Unofficial results tell the story: 54,019 votes (53%) for Woodfork, 21,199 (21%) for Edwin “Shorty” Mark Jr., and 17,469 (17%) for incumbent Susan Hutson.
Four other candidates barely registered. Turnout reached 38.8%—solid for a local race. In a crowded six-person field, no one expected a knockout. But Woodfork delivered one.
Where She Won Big
Woodfork won across nearly every neighborhood. She dominated Uptown, Gentilly, New Orleans East, and parts of Lakeview.
She held her own in Mid-City and the Seventh Ward, leaving no room for an opponent to build momentum.
Her decades in law enforcement and her historic tenure as the city’s first female police chief gave her unmatched name recognition.
Voters rewarded her reputation for competence and command. They wanted leadership, not promises.
Shorty’s Attacks Fell Flat
Ed Shorty tried to make noise. His ads claimed Woodfork had been suspended multiple times.
It backfired. He lacked money, credibility, and a message beyond mudslinging.
Woodfork immediately pushed back, calling the accusations lies. Then she flipped the script—branding Shorty “unqualified and unfit.”
He couldn’t answer. He ran out of money and could not respond. Without a continued television presence and no ground game, his campaign collapsed. There is an old adage on TV ads in campaigns. Once you go up, you can’t go down. Shorty went up with an attack, but could not respond when called him a liar.
In politics, you can’t throw one punch and walk away. Woodfork kept swinging. Shorty couldn’t afford to swing back.
Hutson’s Collapse
Incumbent Susan Hutson had money problems from the start. Few signs. No television ads. A weak field operation.
She relied on incumbency and hoped debates would save her. They didn’t.
Days before the election, US Marshals captured Derek Groves, the final escapee, from the jail’s notorious “let-out.”
Instead of showing leadership, Hutson claimed the breakout was a let out and blamed her staff instead of taking full responsibility.
That response destroyed her credibility. Voters didn’t care if it was a “let-out” or a breakout—they saw a failed sheriff.
A sheriff’s first duty is simple: keep prisoners in jail. Hutson didn’t. The people wanted a new sheriff in town.
That phrase wasn’t just symbolic—it was literal. Voters saw enough failure, excuses, and misplaced blame. They were ready for competence and command.
Why Woodfork Won Outright
Five forces powered Woodfork’s landslide:
- Citywide reach. She won every major precinct.
- Strong name recognition. Her NOPD leadership gave her credibility.
- Money and message. Her campaign stayed visible while others disappeared.
- Crisis contrast. The jail escape exposed Hutson’s weakness and indecision.
- Opponent collapse. Shorty’s attacks fizzled and Hutson’s leadership crumbled.
Together, those factors produced a decisive majority—no runoff needed.
A New Chapter for Orleans Parish
Woodfork’s victory was historic for a different reason. She became the first New Orleans native woman ever elected Sheriff of Orleans Parish. New Orleanians elected home grown talent.
Her success marks a sharp turn from reform rhetoric toward experienced command.
Voters were tired of failure. They wanted a sheriff who could lead, not one who explained away mistakes.
Woodfork represented control, stability, and law-and-order confidence. That combination carried her past the noise and into office.
The Message from the People
New Orleans voters sent a clear message: leadership matters more than excuses.
They watched Hutson stumble, Shorty swing wildly, and Woodfork stay steady.
When the dust settled, they chose experience over experiments.
The people want results, not rhetoric.
Woodfork delivered that promise—and a victory that reset law enforcement politics in New Orleans.