New Orleans New Mayor Is Not Black: First Time In 32 Years

Louisiana Lt. Gov. Mitch Landrieu has been elected mayor of New Orleans, replacing term-limited Ray Nagin and becoming the majority-black city's first white mayor since 1979. Landrieu is a 49-year-old moderate Democrat who won Saturday in a landslide over a field of 10 opponents in a campaign that focused on the city's slow recovery from Hurricane Katrina, violent crime and slumping city finances. The city's last white mayor was Landrieu's father, Moon Landrieu. Voting came amid Carnival celebrations and preparations for Sunday's New Orleans Saints' appearance in the Super Bowl. As returns came in, jubilation spread through the Landrieu headquarters in a hotel ballroom — festooned with black and gold balloons in a nod to the Saints. A brass band played Mardi Gras music and meandered through the room. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below. NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Politics competed with Carnival parades and Super Bowl party preparations Saturday as New Orleans voters made their choice to succeed term-limited Mayor Ray Nagin. Lt. Gov. Mitch Landrieu, who lost to Nagin in a runoff four years ago, was widely seen as the front-runner in an 11-candidate field. Were he to win an outright majority, he would become the majority black city's first white mayor since his father, Moon Landrieu, left the post in 1979. Other candidates were hoping to force a March 6 runoff. Among them was businessman John Georges, also white, who pumped $3.4 million of his own money into his campaign. Polls have also shown business consultant Troy Henry, an African-American making his first political run, as a contender. With 10 percent of the precincts reporting, Landrieu took the early lead with 65 percent of the vote compared with Henry's 17 percent. Some voters were ready for a change from Nagin. Little known outside New Orleans before Katrina, he became a central, and sometimes controversial figure, in the city's struggle to recover. Polls showed his popularity fell sharply in the years after the storm as the rebuilding process dragged on.

Another Term For Bloomberg

From msnbc Billionaire Michael Bloomberg won a third term as New York mayor Tuesday in a closer-than-expected race against a Democratic challenger who stoked voter resentment over the way Bloomberg changed term-limits law so he could stay in office. With 99 percent of precincts reporting, Bloomberg, the richest man in New York and founder of the financial information company Bloomberg LP, defeated William Thompson Jr. 51 percent to 46 percent. In the days leading up to the election, polls showed Bloomberg with as much as an 18-point lead, an edge so big that critics accused the mayor of overkill in his strategy of bombarding the city with campaign ads. His margin of victory was far smaller than the nearly 20-point blowout he pulled off in 2005. At a victory rally with supporters, Bloomberg lauded Thompson for running "a spirited campaign." "We will get our city through these tough times," he promised. "We'll come out stronger than ever." More than $100 million spent When all the bills are paid, Bloomberg will probably have spent more than $100 million on his campaign, the most expensive self-financed campaign in U.S. history. Thompson, the city's comptroller, relied on donations and matching funds for his mayoral bid, and was on track to have spent about a tenth of Bloomberg's staggering total. Thompson ran up huge margins in black and Hispanic neighborhoods, winning by a 3-to-1 margin in some districts. He beat Bloomberg handily in predominantly black neighborhoods like Bedford-Stuyvesant in Brooklyn and Jamaica in Queens. He won Harlem and East Harlem easily, along with other heavily Hispanic districts in upper Manhattan and the Bronx. By contrast, Bloomberg won easily on Staten Island, which has a much larger white population. He also fared better in Manhattan, particularly on the Upper East Side, where he lives.

First NYC Mayoral Debate just over a week away……..

Politics is a dirty business but someone has to do it. Tune in or attend the Mayoral debate October 13th and make up your own mind as to who you think possesses the cleanest pair of hands. We all saw in November what an informed and active group of voters can accomplish nationally and there is no reason not to apply those mindsets on a local scale. All your debate info is here: http://www.nyccfb.info/debates/debateProgram.htm. One more thing to look forward to – this debate will feature a lightning round. First NYC Mayoral Debate Tuesday, October 13, 2009 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. El Museo Del Barrio – 5th Ave at 103rd Street TV – NY1 Radio-WNYC