Let’s start looking at the seat that freezer-burn cash built.
-Helena Moreno (D), TV Personality
-William Jefferson (D), former Congressman
-Karen Carter Peterson (D), Speaker Pro Tem, State House
-Edwin Murray (D), State Senator
-Cheryl Gray (D), State Senator
-Keva Landrum Johnson, New Orleans District Attorney
Every week, I am going to try to start up a new thread on a possible cool race to identify possible candidates.
Probable Democrats:
I see the two clear front runners being people who have run before against Jefferson, Helena Moreno, and Karen Carter Peterson. EDIT: Cedric Richmond has been added. See bios:
-Helena Moreno (D):
Throughout her college years, Helena wrote for the SMU college newspaper, The Daily Campus. She interned with KHOU-TV and KTRK-TV in Houston. In 1999, Helena graduated and immediately began working as a television reporter in Savannah, Georgia’s WTOC. In short order, she began anchoring on the weekends. One year later, Hearst-Argyle Broadcasting Corporation recruited Helena to report for its New Orleans station, WDSU-TV.
Her journalistic talents earned top honors from the Associated Press and Press Club of New Orleans. She was part of the team that earned an EMMY for outstanding coverage of Hurricane Katrina. During Katrina, Helena reported non-stop for 18 hours through the worst of the storm, and then reported throughout the recovery.
http://www.morenoforcongress.com/
She took 43% of the primary vote away from Jefferson this time around and would make a formidable candidate again.
http://elections.nytimes.com/2…
-Karen Carter Peterson (D)
Peterson is a political protégé of Jim Singleton, a former city councilman and the leader of the powerful BOLD political organization. With the help of BOLD, Peterson was elected in 1999 to the Louisiana state legislature as a representative for the 93rd district, which encompasses New Orleans’s CBD, the upper French Quarter, and parts of Central City and Mid-City. In the state legislature, she was one of the most vocal supporters of a plan to reform the New Orleans public school system by putting it under state control, and was a backer of the levee board consolidation bill. Peterson is a member of the moderate Democratic Leadership Council.
http://house.louisiana.gov/H_R…
She took 49% in 2006 again Jefferson, and can make the claim that she alone was fighting against him and his corruption.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K…
-Cedric Richmond (D)
After passing the Louisiana Bar Exam, Cedric was elected to the Louisiana House of Representatives where he has been a leader and served with distinction since 2000. Currently, he is the Chairman of the committee on Judiciary and a member of the Ways and Means, House Executive, and Legislative Audit Advisory committees.
Cedric has been instrumental in many important issues in the legislature. He created the State New Markets Tax Credit program which spurred over 250 million dollars in investment in Louisiana’s devastated areas after the storms of 2005. He also secured funding for small business incubators and grant programs. As a member of the and Co-chairman of the Legislative Audit Advisory committee, Cedric was vital in ending the waste and misappropriation of funds in the Orleans Parish School system.
During his tenure in office, Cedric has remained a strong advocate for the people of his district and vows to continue to keep fighting to make tomorrow and all of the tomorrows to come better.
He got 17% against Jefferson and Moreno is 2008 in the Democratic Primary.
http://www400.sos.louisiana.go…
Other Dems:
Now, there are other democrats who could make an entry, from what I can tell, who would be good. I have listed them below and provided links:
-Edwin Murray (D), State Senator
Represents the French quarter and has served in some post since 1992. Is well known in the district and could be the only bona-fide male running which would be to his advantage.
http://www.edwinmurray.com/ind…
-Cheryl Gray (D), State Senator
Gray appears to highlight her crime and education reform issues, which is appealing in New Orleans post-Katrina.
http://www.electcherylgray.com…
-Keva Landrum Johnson, New Orleans District Attorney
Might be appealing because she is African-American, a woman, and someone who is viewed with genuine respect. Is a registered Democrat.
http://blog.nola.com/times-pic…
So, who is missing? How needs to be eliminated? Who needs to be considered more closely? Is Jefferson going to run again?
as long as it had a “D” next to it on the ballot.
It’s not clear if he’d be able to win the D primary, but he’d probably have a a better chance there than running as an R.
I’m not sure if LA law allows this, but in many states you can get the nomination for both parties, so long as you are only on the ballot in one primary. He could run for the D nod and hope the Republicans write him in. This is how Welch got nominated both parties in Vermont this year.
that means that the next rep is virtually guaranteed to be a black Democrat. Sorry Ms. Moreno.
Richmond finished third in the 2008 primary, narrowly missing the runoff. I think it’s safe to say that had he made the runoff he’d have beaten either Jefferson or Moreno and then easily defeated Cao.
Not sure how you left him off, but in mind finishing third in 2008 (and second to Jefferson among African Americans) is enough to ptu him in the top tier and maybe even as a favorite.
I hope the 2008 LA-02 race is civil and Cao is attacked for his record rather than race or background. Though I wouldn’t put it past New Orleans Dems to pull a Nikki Tinker on the guy.
And I hope we are spared the spectacle of Jefferson trying to reclaim his seat.
Do you think he could win?
Which race should I do next?
For example, rather than making a MN-03 thread or a LA-02 thread just make a Louisiana congressional recruitment thread or a Minnesota one. Gives people several races at once to talk about and cuts down on diaries.