Can a close GOP primary trump Downer’s popularity in 3rd District As the Republican candidates in the Third Congressional District Contest propel themselves towards a primary face-off on August 28, 2010, it is stunning how much the current contest has began to reflect the inter-GOP war nearly six years ago for the same seat. In so many ways, the fight between Hunt Downer and Jeff Landry seems a replay of the Craig Romero/Billy Tauzin III battle that ultimately brought about the surprise election of Democratic Charlie Melancon to the formally Republican-held U.S .House seat.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Dynamics of 2nd Congressional, Jeff Parish Pres. could change by qualifying deadline With just days remaining until qualifying opens for the fall elections, rumors abound about possible surprise candidates, both in the party primaries and general elections, that could throw the carefully planned schemes of the front-runners aft astray.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Assessment confusion… What began as an attempt for the long serving assessor of Jefferson Parish to resign early-allowing his successor to take office prior to 2012's re-assessment process-has exploded into a political chain-reaction that could impact the statewide race for Lt. Governor and change the landscape of the hotly contested Jefferson Parish President's contest.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Will Independent candidates define Congressional race? The common refrain in local political circles has been for over two years that the only way that Second District GOP Congressman Anh “Joseph” Cao could win re-election in his very Democratic-leaning district was for multiple credible candidates to divide the African-American vote in the general election. In a breaking story, this newspaper has learned that this possibility could soon become truth.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Local input forgotten in the Senate’s BP hearings State officials ascended to Capitol Hill last week for hearings on the increasing BP spill oil.  Testimony from an independent panel of experts concluded that British Petroleum had underestimated the flow of oil.    Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Will the BP spill kill the UK/US ‘special relationship’? In Louisiana and across the Gulf Coast, fits of anger at British Petroleum for an ever-increasing crude oil yield from the Deepwater Horizon disaster destroying fishing and tourism livelihoods and threatening precious wetlands and beaches may have an international consequence—the end of the alliance between Great Britain and America.    Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer - 1 opinion posted

Moreno beats Perry for Avery Alexander’s old seat The victory of Helena Moreno for the District 93 State House seat not only signifies an unexpected come-from-behind victory over James Perry, it could serve as the justification for John Georges to jump into the Lt. Governor's race.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer - 1 opinion posted

Campbell faces off against BP in potential Lt. Gov. bid In an exclusive interview, former Democratic Gubernatorial contender and current North Louisiana Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell admits to The Louisiana Weekly that there is an even money chance that he will be a candidate for Lieutenant Governor in the September Special election to replace Mitch Landrieu.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Effort afoot for community owned supermarket It is often easier to find a Catholic in Baghdad than a supermarket in many American inner cities.  New Orleans, post-Katrina, has been the proverbial poster child for the absence of affordable fresh food and affordable food products within an easy proximity of most urban neighborhoods.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer - 3 opinions posted

Open-primary law throws monkey wrench at Cao’s re-election hopes On Tuesday, May 18 by a vote of 31 to five, the Louisiana State Senate approved a House-passed measure which reverses legislation from 2008 to institute closed primaries in Louisiana Congressional elections, but the Senators amended to House bill to take effect upon the Governor’s signature, not on Jan. 1, 2011 as the House had mandated.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Dueling driving records dominate contest for District 93 House Seat Robichaux, a member of the Orleans School Board and the first openly gay candidate with a realistic shot at election to the Legislature, had identified 600 supporters who pledged by name, in writing, that they would go vote that Saturday and support his candidacy. Many of them were dues paying members of the gay rights advocacy group, the Forum for Equality, yet a later review showed that most did not vote-assuming Robichaux was a proverbial "shoo-in" for a runoff slot.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Cain not running for U.S. Senate Despite comments last month that the Dry Creek Republican might challenge incumbent GOP Senator David Vitter, either in the primary or as an independent in the General Election, Cain explained, “I have always been interested in running for the U.S. Senate, and was quite serious in my statements and my intentions to be a candidate, as I stated last month.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Perkins says gay marriage fight motivated call to hold back money from RNC Despite press reports, Family Research Council President Tony Perkins tells The Louisiana Weekly that RNC staffers going to a sex club on the party’s dime was not the reason that the prominent social conservative leader asked his membership not to donate to Republican National Committee.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Jackson-Douglas stands for District 93 seat for second time The message brought her 22 percent of the vote against one of the most powerful members of the legislature, and a diverse coalition of voters that included a range of liberal Democratic African-Ameri­cans to conservative Republican whites, from the Lower Garden District to the Warehouse District to the French Quarter to Treme to the Esplanade Ridge.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Moreno wants Congressional impression to bring her legislative success Helena Moreno came closer than virtually any Democrat had ever made it to knocking Bill Jefferson off in a Democratic primary. A well-known name in TV journalism, she has become a significant player on the political scene in recent years, running the communications for the John Georges for Mayor campaign, and building up political alliances.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Robichaux, argues for adoptive kids and the ‘unrepresented’ While the press is transfixed on the budget battle in Baton Rouge, candidate for District 93 Thomas Robichaux, was quick to point out in a press release that another bill under review, Buddy Shaw's Senate Bill 521, could hurt the ability of children to be adopted in Louisiana.  It is no idle issue for the Orleans School Board member and legislative candidate.  He is the father of an adopted son.    Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Raising Cain: David Vitter faces possible GOP challenger In a breaking story, former Louisiana State Senator James David Cain tells The Louisiana Weekly newspaper that he is “seriously considering a run for the United States Senate against David Vitter.”  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Southern Republicans host GOP event in New Orleans The Chairman of the Louisiana Republican Party, Roger Villere who is running for Lt. Governor, served as the official host of the Southern Republican Leadership Conference at the Hilton Riverside Hotel downtown, and it was not an accident that the convention's first unofficial event was a $5,000 a person fundraiser for Villere's campaign.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

School Board member Robichaux is leading contender for Carter's old House seat The former State House seat of the Rev Avery Alexander, the one that launched African Americans into a political force in Louisiana, could now go to a representative of another political minority that has long wished for a voice in government.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

House speaker kicks Orleans State Rep. off powerful committee over Speaker Pro Tem vote Just after convening this year's legislative session earlier in the week, the State House had an election to appoint the successor to Karen Carter Peterson for the Speaker Pro Tem post.  (Carter Peterson was recently elected to the State Senate to fill the unexpired term of Cheryl Grey-Evans.)  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore and Stephen Sabludowsky, Contributing Writers

LA GOP Chairman formally announces for Lt Governor In an exclusive, LA GOP Chair_man Roger Villere appeared on the author's radio program on Wed_nesday morning, March 31, and formally jumped into the Lieutenant Governor's race. In his first media interview with The Louisiana Weekly newspaper, Villere declared, "I would like to announce that I am going to run for Lt. Governor of the state of Louisiana, and I'm looking forward to a good race and serving as Lt. Governor."  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Melancon’s healthcare vote angers liberals, but to what extent? Running for the U.S. Senate against David Vitter, Melancon needed Independent voters and the handful of Republicans that backed Mary Landrieu in 2008 to have a chance of winning a slim victory—and could not afford to alienate any portion of the electorate.  He failed in an unexpected way.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Rep. Cao’s healthcare votes present electoral challenge Politically, Joseph Cao is now in an impossible position.  He voted for the healthcare bill before he voted against it.  His opposing stands have angered both his conservative base and the African-American majority in the Second District to whom he sought to reach out to-and potentially earn the votes of-in the November elections.     Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Yenni attempts to best Capitano for mayor of Kenner on March 27th At the age of 33, Mike Yenni may appear young to be a contender for Mayor of Kenner, but he is quick to remind listeners that his grandfather, Joe Yenni was only 36 when he won the job.  And, his grandson has even more governmental experience that his progenitor ever did.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

The architecture of Susan Guidry's unexpected win If Jay Batt had just gotten the votes that he earned in the February 6 primary, he would be District A’s Councilman-elect. His primary total of 9046, in the Orleans elections, amounted to just less than half as many votes as the 4,869 ballots he earned in the runoff. Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Antics, not policy issues, abound in Kenner mayor’s race Seemingly, the Kenner Mayoral election has proceeded from contest to farce. First, former Mayor Louis Congemi sent a press release announcing his withdrawal from the race, only to stay in the contest because, according to one source, “his wife forgot to send in the paperwork to [Secretary of State] Jay Dardenne’s office.”  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer - 1 opinion posted

Newly elected Assessor on Betty Jefferson’s resignation The courts gave Fourth Municipal District Assessor Betty Jefferson 30 days to wind up her affairs, including her elected office, but her fellow Assessors did not agree.  On March 1, 2010, the other members of the New Orleans Board of Assessors demanded that the sister of the former Congressman-and their long-time colleague-resign immediately, and not wait either a single month-or the remaining 10 months until the end of her term of office.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

The District E candidates, Badon vs Johnson: Their thoughts and visions The District E Council race between State Representative Austin Badon and former State Senator Jon Johnson could be quite tight on Saturday, March 6.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Batt makes up ground in District A race Council District A candidate Jay Batt had a very good week. He won the endorsement of the third candidate in the February 6 primary, Virginia Blanque, and the only other race on the ballot that could have generated excess turnout for his runoff opponent Susan Guidry ended with the withdrawal of Claude Mauberret and the consequent victory of Erroll Williams to the single Assessor’s post.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Errol Williams to become first elected citywide assessor The surprise announcement that Claude Mauberret dropped out of the race for the single assessor's post in Orleans Parish last week appears in the end to be not so surprising at all.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Man who rebuilt Super Dome after Katrina to build Landrieu administration "I asked Sean Payton and Drew Brees to be my CAOs, but they said they had other things to worry about...like winning the Super Bowl next year," was how Mayor-Elect Mitch Landrieu began his Transition Press Conference at the Lowe’s Hotel on Thursday, Feb. 11th.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Mitch Landrieu’s landslide victory For all the Katrina references uttered after the dual electoral and gridiron victories on the weekend of February 6 and 7, Reggie Bush said the only one that really applied to most New Orleanians, "We can take a breath now."  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

NFL for Melançon? According to columnist Jim Brown, “The National Football League’s political action committee, established in 2008, has contributed $1,500 to Congressman Charlie Melançon, who is running for U.S. Senate against incumbent David Vitter.”  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Capitano & Congemi seek old job but, a younger Yenni wants to be Kenner Mayor too Political activists from across the City of Kenner packed the second floor of Messina’s Restaurant on Williams Blvd. two weeks ago to watch Phil Capitano launch his bid to return to the office of Mayor of the state’s fifth-largest city.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Elections mount across the metro region While eyes in Orleans Parish are turned to the March 6, 2010 runoff, most the rest of the Metro New Orleans area is just entering their municipal election seasons.  Qualifying concluded on Friday, February 5, for a election date on March 27, and a runoff, if need be, on May 1.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Will Cao’s Super Bowl viewing with Pres. Obama get him to the electoral end zone? Having voted for the Healthcare bill and many of President Obama’s key initiatives, Anh “Joseph” Cao has never missed a chance to emphasize that the New Orleans Republican is often considered the Democratic President’s favorite GOP House member.  It’s a relationship he needs to burnish were Cao to have any chance of winning a second term in his majority-Black, solidly Democratic Congressional seat.     Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Carter Peterson vs Muse Dixon for State Senate Most people are unaware that there is an election for State Senate in Orleans Parish on February 6, 2010.   There are two candidates seeking to succeed Senator Cheryl Gray Evans, who resigned to move to Connecticut to be with her husband.   State House Speaker Pro Tem Karen Carter Peterson faces former Public Service Commissioner and State Representative Irma Muse Dixon.    Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Erroll Williams: Front-Runner for single assessor’s post The New Orleans Assessor’s race enters the final week of the election as a tight three-way contest.   Janis Lemle enjoys numerous endorsements, particularly from the IQ ticket that pushed for the single assessor bill.  The African-American Deputy Chief Assessor for the 6th District hopes that her base in Uptown trumps that of 2nd District Assessor Claude Mauberret in Lakeview, and with his fellow Caucasians, to earn a runoff slot.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Racing against the Super Bowl clock It is unusual for Tony Angelo's Restaurant to open on a Monday night. The ItalianeEatery is a fixture just off Harrison Ave. and the reopening of the converted mansion, that has fed Lakeviewites for decades, was a cause of joy for New Orleanians seeking landmarks of recovery.     Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Lemle seeks redefined role for Assessor Janis Lemle is the heir of the IQ candidates who struggled for a single assessor four years ago. She has served as Chief Deputy to the only victorious candidate that year, Nancy Marshall, attempting to provide rational and fair assessments in her Uptown 6th District.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Nolan Marshall seeks a new generation on the City Council In recent days, a new commercial has hit the airwaves.  In it, a young man echoes word for word a speech by Barack Obama saying that the same old politicians cannot bring new leadership.   Nolan Marshall and the President are split-screened, side by side, delivering the same message.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Stacy Head seeks re-election Then a few pioneers decided it could be another Magazine Street with dining, entertainment, and shopping where only abandoned storefronts stood.  They were led by Stacy Head.   The District “B” Councilwoman took it on as her personal project, and four years after her election, restaurants, a comedy club, and a comic book store now sit, hearkening what could be the next Oak Street or Magazine.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

After censure, GOP group opts 'no endorsement' in mayor's race In furious debate that lasted past midnight on Thursday, Jan 14, the Greater New Orleans Republicans opted "no endorsement" in the New Orleans mayor's race, a blow to the campaign of the official GOP candidate Rob Couhig.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Race to be lone assessor in New Orleans tightens Crowds of angry taxpayers thronged City Hall just a few short weeks ago, expressing indignation at the sudden spike in their property assessments.   Considering that most local governing bodies, from the City Council to the School Board to the Board of Liquidation, had rolled forward millages by some 14 mills, Orleans Parish homeowners had seen the taxable value of their homes skyrocket and the rate of that taxation increase.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Rally for Rep. Cao shows strong support Despite the distractions of a competitive New Orleans election season, several hundred political activists came out in support of Anh "Joseph" Cao in his bid for re-election to the United States House of Representatives.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Warring polls in District A race A new Verne Kennedy poll seems to indicate that the Council District A race is still up in the air, but is former Councilman Jay Batt's to lose.    Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Former Senator runs for District ‘E’ council seat Jon Johnson quite nearly returned to the State Senate.  A 200 vote loss to Ann Duplessis kept the veteran legislator in the private sector, though.  Yet, in his time out of office, he grew incredibly frustrated at the lack of progress in post-Katrina recovery from the city.  Reportedly, funds that he had gotten allocated while in the State Senate, like the appropriations to rebuild Lincoln Beach, remained in city bank accounts, unspent.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Gressett mounts outside run for Assessor That is Andrew Gressett, an iconic New Orleanian who has been on a year-long crusade against what he has termed improprieties in the Assessors offices in the Crescent City.   In the last election, four years ago, he had the singular distinction of having run against both his incumbent district assessor and the representative of the “IQ” ticket -- the only one who went on to win that year of the seven reform candidates, Nancy Marshall.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Political gamesmanship at work in mayor’s race Since Ed Murray exited the New Orleans Mayoral race on Saturday night, Jan 2, 2010, political observers have wondered if a concern with race relations was really a motive.   Murray wrote on Sunday morning as a justification for his departure, "Nor am I willing to add a racially divisive campaign to the already strained race relations in our city."  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Sanders, lifelong District ‘E’ resident seeks post “I am a first responder who can remember sitting in the Sheraton Hotel among a room filled with people looking for information and answers about the future of our city that had been devastated by Hurricane Katrina and Rita,” Sanders, a candidate for the open Council District E seat on February 6, 2010, told The Louisiana Weekly.    Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Fielkow seeks second term on Council Arnie Fielkow was propelled into political prominence in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. The longtime Saints executive who lobbied for his team before the City Council and the Legislature found himself at the center of calls to run for office, and despite the fact that he could have earned far more in professional sports management positions elsewhere, did.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

The rise of the minor New Orleans mayoral candidates For the first time in years, the African-American vote is as divided as the Caucasian vote, and thanks to the dawning attack ads by the front-running candidates, the race may continue to remain as divided - a prospect that directly aids the candidacies of Troy Henry and Rob Couhig, and to a lesser extent Nadine Ramsey.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Manny Chevrolet Bruno, a ‘troubled man’ for mayor Eight years ago, the author, on his then-morning radio show, began dialing-live on the air-the candidates that had qualified to run for mayor of New Orleans the day before.  The first call went to a man with a strange name, Manny Chevrolet Bruno.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Mary’s healthcare vote might endanger Mitch’s chances or ultimately help him win Over two weeks ago, Leslie Jacobs said, "While I believe that I would be a great mayor for the city of New Orleans, after much consideration and thoughtful analysis, I have determined I cannot win this election. I do not want to put my supporters, family, nor myself through a campaign I cannot win."  Her reluctance was born of her internal polling.   The surveys showed, in the wake of the Lieutenant Governor's announcement for mayor, that he polled nearly 50% in the first primary-with across the board support in the white, Black, Hispanic, and Vietnamese communities.   Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Gray Evans’ departure puts minority Senate District’s existence in jeopardy Just five months ago, State Democratic Party leaders were attempting to entice newly elected State Senator Cheryl Gray Evans into a bid for the Second Congressional District.  As a popular moderate African-American woman, she has represented a seat that stretches from the silk-stocking precincts of predominantly Caucasian Uptown through the poorest African-American areas of Mid and Central City to the mixed, Corporately-minded, wealthy precincts of the CBD.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Landrieu jumps in N.O. mayor’s race On December 8, 2009, the Lieutenant Governor was scheduled to appear at Café Reconcile for the groundbreaking of its two new floors--a banquet hall and a small business incubator--an expansion of theexisting training programs for underprivileged youth for which his office helped win the funding.     Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Tax rejection causes Muniz not to seek second term in Kenner Of the myriad of local governments in the metro area and throughout the river parishes, Kenner is arguably in one of the worst structural positions. It has some of the lowest property taxes and a growing number of urban challenges that have caused a huge deficit.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

New Orleans mayoral race second time for Couhig On Thursday, December 3rd, with an announcement on Facebook and on a telephone conference call “Town Hall” the previous evening, attorney Rob Couhig announced that he would run for mayor of New Orleans. This marks the second time that the local Republican has thrown his hat into ring for the chief executive post. He came in fourth in 2006, and most political observers agree that his endorsement of Ray Nagin played the crucial role in the re-election of the current mayor.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

New Orleans mayoral race continues to attract candidates A familiar photograph of a man in wheelchair facing the daunting task of ascending up a streetcar has been plastered across the city of New Orleans. It has stood as a state­ment for mayoral candidate Jonah Bascle, a metaphor of frustration that disabled social activist and comedian has had with City Hall and the current administration.    Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

School reformer enters N.O. mayoral race Six months ago, Leslie Jacobs had no idea she would be a candidate for Mayor of New Orleans.  The former Orleans Parish School Board and State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) member thought herself finished with politics for the immediate future.   Her work on enacting the LEAP test, holding schools accountable, and ultimately expanding the number of charter schools had earned the former insurance executive a place in the history books.    Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Judge resigns to run for mayor To give up a six-figure salary in what is arguably one of the choicest political jobs for an uncertain bid in pursuit of what is generally agreed to be one of the most difficult tasks imaginable, that of taking command of the dysfunctional city government, seemed illogical to most, but for Nadine Ramsey, it is a challenge she could not pass up.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Regulating the raters: The difference between regulation and overreach Marsaeh Delatte, a local African-American businesswoman, worries that an  unintended consequence of a new federal law could be higher property taxes here  in Louisiana, something that could threaten to put her out of business.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Rep. Cao votes for healthcare reform Regardless of the two added (and initially unexpected) votes of New Orleans' Joseph Cao and the newly elected Congressman from New York's Twenty-Third Congressional District, Bill Owens, the Democratic House Health Care bill would have passed on Saturday, November 7, 2009, but the support of both men provided Speaker Pelosi and President Obama with a legitimacy that would not have come from an otherwise razor-thin, partisan majority of 218 votes.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Carroll vs. Dawson for Kenner’s Black-majority council seat In Kenner's District 1, a Black-majority seat that stretches from the Victorian homes of Rivertown through the Susan Park neighborhood to Loyola Drive's Lincoln Manor, a closely fought contest to succeed Marc Johnson now moves to a runoff.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Former La. Governor Dave Treen dies at age 81 It was the end of the 1960s, and Treen had just run a quixotic race as the GOP candidate against Democratic Majority Whip Congressman Hale Boggs at a time when the common joke was that there were so few Republicans in Louisiana that the entire party could caucus in a telephone booth.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Is District A council seat up to Batt? As the light cascaded through the windows of the second floor of the Old Casino building in City Park, Jay Batt announced his intention to a crowded room of supporters to run for a job he knows well—New Orleans City Councilman District A.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

The white vs. black experience in the race for mayor Saying, “after careful thought and deliberation” Austin Badon, the second-term House member who was not term-limited as a legislator who was among the first to declare his candidacy for New Orleans mayor, has taken his name out of contention for the city’s  highest office. He plans to now run for the City Council Seat for District E.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

An analysis: Sen. Landrieu’s Snowe job One Senator, in particular, breathed a sigh of relief when Olympia Snowe of Maine became the sole Republican to vote the Baucus Health Care Reform Bill out of Committee.  Snowe had just thrown her close friend Mary Landrieu a political lifeline, providing legislative cover to support the bill despite conservative opposition in Louisiana.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Robert Dawson: A physician wants to heal Kenner City government More than 30 years ago, 19-year-old college student Robert Dawson was moved to run for the Kenner City Council out of a worry that his home neighborhood of Lincoln Manor, near Loyola Dr., was facing rising crime and the other associated problems of urban blight. He warned that if something was not done soon, the African-American neighborhood would soon look no different than the deterioration that had already visited some of the strained areas of Orleans Parish.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Gregory Carroll: A Public Servant turned Kenner Council District 1 Candidate As Hurricane Katrina approached Louisiana, Gregory Carroll was working as the Assistant Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of Kenner.  Little did he know that his job description would soon include the feeding and care of hundreds of evacuees.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Tony Gentile for 2010 US Senate: Libertarian Stand-bearer or Spoiler? As he explained to The Louisiana Weekly, “So I hopped in my car and drove out the night before, not being familiar with Lafayette I wanted to find out where I was going.  Upon arriving at the station I was met by the producer, the host, and another gentleman there; I’ll just say he’s now a State Senator. So the interview started, and I was rolling along giving my message, answering questions from call-ins.”  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Carter is out. Dark horse in? State House Speaker Karen Carter Peterson, considered a likely contender and a favorite of many, demurred from the race with the words, “Over the past several months, I have been truly moved by the outpouring of support from many members of the community encouraging me to become a candidate for mayor of the city of New Orleans.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

John Georges: Where business and public service meet in a possible bid for mayor It was political suicide, they argued for a white candidate for Governor of Louisiana, one with a fiscally conservative platform, to appear at such a racially explosive rally.   As Georges explained to The Louisiana Weekly, "I didn't care what the political 'experts' said.   Going to Jena was the right thing to do.  You had some Black young men that were overcharged by a District Attorney seeking to make political points."  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Richmond says he will again run for Congress On Tuesday, September 7, 2009, State Representative Cedric Richmond announced that he would seek the Democratic nomination to challenge incumbent Republican Congressman Anh “Joseph” Cao for the Second Congressional District seat.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Longtime legislator is running for mayor State Senator Ed Murray is considered by many to be the Dean of Orleans politicians.   A legislator for two decades, nothing more demonstrates the strength of his electoral appeal than the fact that as a Black Democrat, he represents a swing district that has become more Caucasian and more conservative since Hurricane Katrina.    Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

National Hurricane Katrina Museum to launch by May Inside of an historic warehouse that once contained the Rieser French Bread factory, a museum designed to commemorate all the victims of tragic 2005 storm will take form by Jazz Fest of 2010.  Its exhibits will tell the stories of individual adversity and regional struggle amid the floodwaters, the subsequent Diaspora, and the against-the-odds recovery of a city written off for dead by the world, according to Katrina Museum Chairman the Rev. Leonard Lucas.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

N.O. mayor’s race will have a ‘non-profit’ candidate The general public may never have heard of James Perry, but political insiders are very familiar with the veteran non-profit administrator.   After nearly a decade in community service, and completing his law degree in 2004, Perry became the executive director of the Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center (GNOFHAC), a private, non-profit organization created to promote equal housing opportunity.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Rep. Badon says he's ready for the N.O. mayor's office Austin Badon has carved a unique place for himself as an African-American legislator from New Orleans.  Heretically for a conventional Democrat, he sponsored the original bill that authorized private and parochial school vouchers for needy students in Orleans Parish.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Healthcare debate takes center tage across Louisiana A Republican versus a Democrat, both critically interested in major healthcare reform, jointly addressed forums across the state, August 10-17, taking their message that the system is broken, but the President and his advisors need to be careful about how they fix the system. Each presents a series of ideas, and then asks the assembled public for their input to take back to Louisiana’s Congressional leadership.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Explosion hits Louisiana's 2010 U.S. Senate race Welsh serves as political manager of the Stormy Daniels Senate Exploratory Committee LLC. and lead advisor to the “listening campaign” that the Baton Rouge native and porn star has conducted in recent months as the beginning of a prospective Senatorial bid against incumbent Republican David Vitter.   Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

LaFonta says he will run against Cao for Congress In an exclusive, State Representative Juan LaFonta has announced his intention to run for the Second Congressional District seat in the fall of 2010 against incumbent Republican Congressman Anh “Joseph” Cao.  Surprising many insiders, however, LaFonta firmly declared that “I’m running as Democrat,” not as an Independent as some political observers had predicted.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Midura’s ‘out,’ but is Batt ‘in,’ while Abramson is a definite ‘no’? New Orleans District A Councilwoman Shelley Midura surprised some by her announcement that she would not run for a second term. The man who would have been her likely opponent, former Councilman Jay Batt, immediately sent a statement that commended Midura’s efforts—and all but telegraphed a likely run regardless.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

The Landrieus: Mitch not running, Mary’s opposition to a ‘public option’ On Wednesday, July 8, Lt. Governor Mitch Landrieu surprised much of the media—but few political insiders—by his decision not to run for mayor of New Orleans early next year.  To have done so would have undermined years worth of preparation for a future statewide race—Governor or perhaps U.S. Senator—undertaken by the Lt. Governor and his sister, Louisiana’s current senior Senator.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Has Bobby's carriage turned into a pumpkin? Former Louisiana Secretary of State and Insurance Commissioner Jim Brown attended a meeting of political consultants in Charlotte, NC where discussions centered on which Republican would be the most viable contender for the 2012 presidential nomination.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Analyzing and rating the 2009 La. Legislative Session The Louisiana legislative session ended on Thursday, June 25, 2009, with what some call a whimper rather than a bang. Only a few reform measures saw the light of the floor, dying in the bowels of the committee chambers, and despite a last minute deal that restored millions to higher education and health care, colleges will still see a real reduction in 5 percent of their funding and hospitals even more.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Charlie Melancon's likely challenge to David Vitter In every statewide race where a candidate faced someone “who was either Cajun or represented Acadiana in Congress,” he or she lost, regardless of which political party in which he or she was registered.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Bill to Give Universities Power over Tuition near Passage Sen. Appel says only way to Guarantee Decent Funding A constitutional change that would give college and university governing boards more control over tuition rates has passed the Senate 26 to eight, and looks likely to pass the House.  Fees and tuition are currently the purview of the Legislature, requiring a two-thirds vote in each chamber for increases.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

N.O. native to become Archbishop of New Orleans In an unprecedented announcement early Friday morning, the Archdiocese of New Orleans revealed that Pope Benedict XVI appointed a New Orleans Native as the new Archbishop of New Orleans.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Go Dutch Says Senator U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu led a group of Louisianians back to the Netherlands last month and returned with a new mission, to create an integrated "water management" system based on the Dutch model, as opposed to the levee-centric system that the Army Corps of Engineers utilizes now.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Cell phone bill restricts freedom says local activist/opponent State Representative (and Mayoral candidate) Austin Badon has been on a campaign in the past couple of legislative sessions to ban the conventional use of cell phones while driving.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

N.O. mayor's race starts to take shape In a blizzard of interviews a week ago, Murray admitted to his ambitions to claim the city's top job, and the path that he treads in the legislature-attempting to both speak out on behalf of his fellow Black Caucus members and working to forge compromises with the Jindal Administration-highlights the particular balancing act he must do to win that desire.   Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Jindal allies pass tax increase Despite Governor Jindal's admonition to his legislative allies to oppose any form of tax increase, on Thursday, May 21, the Senate Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Committee voted without a dissenting vote to increase our State Personal Income Taxes by $118 million per year.            Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Homestead exemption fight makes general property tax possible On Thursday, May 14, the good government group the Public Affairs Research Council came out swinging against a proposed increase in the Homestead Exemption—likely because after years of discussion, an increase of some sort seems very probable prior to the conclusion of the current legislative session.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Making victim's decide pardons & paroles In the current legislative session, Northshore Republican Kevin Pearson seeks to give them such a voice.  His House Bill 17 guarantees a seat on the Pardon and Parole boards to representatives of victim's rights groups.  Under the proposal, the Governor would get a list of three names for each opening on either board from specific victim's organizations, and he would choose one to serve.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Cao Asks Obama to Settle Charity Dispute "Once and for All" At a White House reception Thursday night, April 23, 2009, Republican Congressman Anh "Joseph" Cao of New Orleans hand-delivered a letter to President Barack Obama.   It formally requested the President's help in settling the ongoing dispute over New Orleans' Charity Hospital.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Poll shows Nagin disapproval high In what may be the most comprehensive voter opinion poll in the history of New Orleans, 64 percent of the electorate and nearly half of African Americans disapprove of the job that Ray Nagin is doing as Mayor, and roughly one of every three New Orleans voters say they may have to leave the city unless substantial changes in direction are made.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

District 97 Heads to a Runoff: Doucette faces Brossett on May 2nd Only one Orleans Parish election did not end in a primary landslide on April 4, 2009.  Unlike the judicial contests, the District 97 House of Representatives seat had a crowded field of aspirants, including Morrell family protégé Jared Brossett.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Landslide Saturday: Sen. Quinn loses by 23; Orleans Judicial Favorites All Win. Saturday, April 4, 2009 was an evening of landslides.  Yet as predicted as the overwhelming victories in Orleans were, few political insiders expected similar margins of triumph in Jefferson Parish-where both early favorites Julie Quinn and June Darensburg went down to large defeats.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Welfare drug test bill may have political motive The media buzzed last week as Metairie State Rep. John LaBruzzo proposed drug tests for all welfare recipients in Louisiana in order to receive benefits. The Bucktown legislator's announcement that he has pre-filed such a bill for the upcoming April 27 Regular Session immediately brought remembrances of an earlier proposal of his of paying poor women to be sterilized in order to reduce their potential welfare impact - if they had children.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Coleman & Savwoir Bringing New Ideas to District 97 One of the most influential of the African-American held seats in the Louisiana House of Representatives is District 97. The legislative office, held for years by Arthur Morrell, and then his son J.P. Morrell stretches from Lake to River, from Pontchartrian Park through Gentilly and then narrows into a thin stretch in the blocks along Press Street through St. Roch into the Faubourg Marigny ending at the Mississippi River.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Jindal/Vitter Fall in New Poll Vitter Gets Democratic Challenger for 2010 81% of Blacks Would Vote Against GOP Senator The liberal blog Daily Kos commissioned a new Research 2000 Poll in Louisiana.  The results show a substantial fall in public approval for Governor Bobby Jindal from his previous high of 75 percent approval to a sheer majority of 54 percent.  The survey also reveals that President Barack Obama has increased his election night of support of 39 percent amongst the electorate and now carries a 47 percent approval rating with likely voters.    Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Opposition to re-elect Sen. Vitter may be mounting In a breaking story, The Louisiana Weekly has learned that a campaign has begun to draft former Fifth District Congressman Dr. John Cooksey to run in the GOP primary against David Vitter in 2010.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Recall Efforts against Cao Face Large Hurdle Initial Response, However, has been Strong Two local African-American ministers have launched a recall petition against newly elected Second District Congressman Anh "Joseph" Cao that already reportedly has over 12,000 signatures in its first week.   Rev. Toris Young, Presi-dent of the Louisiana Ministerial Alliance of Churches for All Peoples, has joined with his fellow Minister Aubry Wallace to attempt to obtain the verified signatures of more than 101,000 registered voters in the 2nd District, more than a third of the registered electorate, in just 180 days.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Sales tax may play large role in Jeff Council election An email last Thursday evening from former Jefferson Parish President Tim Coulon over a sales tax referendum has sent shockwaves through the Jefferson political establishment-and may impact the already competitive race for Council District 5.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Can Cao recover from "nay" vote on stimulus plan? The Louisiana Weekly was besieged last week with complaints about Congressman Anh "Joseph" Cao's 'nay' vote on the House version of the Stimulus package.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

State senator calls for an offshore port Believes it could be the answer to slowing coastal erosion The term "shovel-ready" projects dominated the conversation over the stimulus package in Washington last week, yet as the Louisiana Legislature soon convenes, State Senator A.G. Crowe is hoping his colleagues will embrace the concept literally.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Of all the ironies, will Vitter face a porn actress in GOP Primary? An advertisement on the website Craigslist seems to imply that the search for a “female candidate with a history in the adult entertainment industry to challenge Senator Vitter” in the GOP primary has been fulfilled.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

archbishop locks up churches Journalists who trip up Roman Catholic prelates sometimes cause the police to be called.  And, people at vigil prayer in the disputed suppressed parishes pay the price.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Not even sworn in, talk is of how Cao can win again In an exclusive, The Louisiana Weekly has learned that prominent State Democratic leaders are actively courting State Senator Cheryl Grey to run against Republican Joseph Cao for the Second Congressional seat in 2010.   Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Liberals Have a Cao How the Careful Courting of the Left Elected a Republican Early on the morning of the December 6, 2008 election, Mike Bayham was out putting up signs for Second District Congressional candidate Joseph Cao when a car stopped beside him.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Residents of soon-to-be sacrificed historic neighborhood speak out The inhabitants of the Lower Mid-City area bounded by Tulane Ave., Canal Street, South Rocheblave, and Claiborne Ave. have been forced to come to the realization that their neighborhood will soon be facing the wrecking ball. The new LSU/VA teaching hospital will be will wipe clean the land on which 260 residential homes currently sit, with more than 225 households present within the proposed footprint of the new medical complex.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Trying to figure out vagarious turnout phenomenon Voter turnout is a funny thing. It renders the careful mathematical models of political consultants and prognosticators into useless fictions.  Read More ... Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Youth and Blacks made the difference in Obama's election It has become something of a cliché in GOP circles in the wake of Barack Obama's victory to maintain that John McCain would have emerged victorious if the September financial meltdown had not occurred.  Read More ... By Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

The ‘Change Election’ for the State Senate Throughout Senate District 9, barely a week after the October primary, defeated third place finisher Al Leone was placing a robocall to voters.  Read More ... By Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

Could Moreno Win In November? State Democratic Party leaders privately considering early endorsement. What about the GOP? By October, political observers began to suspect that former WDSU reporter Helena Moreno would unite enough of the white vote, even in a closed Democratic primary, to make a runoff. Yet, each and every pundit warned prior to Saturday’s election that any of her opponents, even Bill Jefferson, were sure to beat her in November.  Read More ... By Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer

The Minnesota and Louisiana connection, and Rep. Melancon's involvement A Democratic Congressional candidate from Minneapolis, MN, currently contesting one of the closest U.S. House races in the nation, choose to spend a Saturday night, just weeks before the November 4th election in Kenner, Louisiana.  Read More ... By Christopher Tidmore

Could GOP endorsement prove the difference in close Democratic races Former Orleans Parish Republican Party Chairman Jim Nugent once commented, "It was easier to find a Catholic in Baghdad than a Republican in New Orleans."   Read More ... By Christopher Tidmore

American inaction and naivety led to Georgian invasion The inhabitants of a small province on the periphery of Europe overwhelmingly sought annexation by their ethnic brethren across the border. They felt little kinship with the small nation to which they were attached, and could see no reason why they should be reunited with their nationalist kin. Read More ... By Christopher Tidmore, Contributing Writer