by Guy F. Smith
May 29, 2006

Incumbent New Orleans Mayor C. Ray Nagin won a second term May 20, defeating Lt. Governor Mitch Landrieu in the special runoff election.

Nagin won 53 percent of the vote to Landrieu’s 47 percent. Both are Democrats.

Following the election, Nagin said that, with the election over, it is “…time to begin the process of healing.”

President Bush called to congratulate Nagin, saying the two men had weathered Hurricane Katrina.

Nagin said he plans to put together a commission to decide on specific actions to take in the next 100 days. Debris removal and housing will be top priorities.

He also credited Landrieu for running a “splendid campaign” and pledged to work closely with him in rebuilding the city.

Landrieu’s father, Moon Landrieu, was mayor of New Orleans in the 1970s, and was, later, a U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under President Jimmy Carter. One of his eight siblings is Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu.

Cory Booker, a 37-year old former Rhodes scholar, on May 11 was elected mayor of Newark, New Jersey’s largest city. Booker ran unsuccessfully against Sharpe James four years ago. He garnered 72 percent of the vote against State Senator Ronald Rice, who got 24 percent.

In March, James, 70, said he would not seek another term.

The city has had only two mayors since 1970 when Kenneth Gibson was elected, becoming the first African-American big city mayor in the Northeast. He was defeated for re-election in 1986 by James.

New Gary Mayor Rudy Clay succeeds Scott King, who resigned March 24 after 11 years in office.

Lake County Commissioner Clay was sworn in April 7 as the new mayor to serve the remainder of King’s term through December 2007.

Following King’s resignation, Democratic precinct chairs met to select a new mayor and voted 66 to 64 for Clay.

A primary will be held in May of 2007 for both Democratic and Republican candidates for mayor in the November 2007 election.