Landrieu to Run Against Mayor School Bus Nagin ! LOL !

Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2006 12:37 p.m. EST
Mary Landrieu's Brother in Bid to Oust Ray Nagin


Three days after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, Sen. Mary
Landrieu said she would "punch" anybody who criticized state and city
officials for mishandling the crisis - including President Bush.

But now Sen. Landrieu's brother, Mitch, who currently serves as Louisiana's
lieutenant governor, is reportedly readying a bid to oust controversial New
Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin in the upcoming Democratic primary on April 22.

Reports the New Orleans Times Picayune, "While Landrieu is expected to
publicly announce his candidacy in a written statement this week, a source
said a formal declaration with a kickoff event and a campaign speech likely
won't come until after the legislature's special session set for Feb. 6-17."


Before Katrina, Nagin was considered a virtual lock to win a second
four-year term. But the city's slow recovery and Nagin's screw-ups -
culminating in his Martin Luther King Day "Chocolate City" speech - have
left him politically vulnerable. New Orleans business leaders say they've
lost confidence in Nagin's ability to revive the city.


Landrieu supporters are likely to soft pedal another advantage he'll have
over Nagin. With the African-American population still largely scattered
throughout the country as a result of the Katrina evacuation, many of the
current mayor's voters will be unavailable on primary day.

Moon Landrieu - Mitch and Mary's father - served as Mayor of New Orleans
from 1970 to 1978.



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