Danae Columbus: Gov. Edwards working it to gain edge in Saturday’s runoff

Buoyed by a new Mason-Dixon poll that shows a path — albeit small — to victory, Gov. John Bel Edwards spent Wednesday evening talking with young African-American artists like Brandan Odums, Kevin “2-Cent “ Griffin and Tayla Hunter as part of his ongoing outreach to previously under-appreciated constituencies. If Edwards is able to pull off what would be a Hail Mary victory on Saturday, he will have succeeded in three crucial areas: motivating minority voters who were unenthusiastic in the primary; reaching conservative voters who at one time supported former U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu; and branding Republican opponent Eddie Rispone as too radical to be Louisiana’s next governor. Even as a slight majority of voters are inclined to pull the lever for Edwards, he still has to get supporters to the polls. Failure to accomplish this most important goal will lead to a Rispone victory and the defeat of the South’s only Democratic governor. Voters have to hand it to Rispone.

Danae Columbus: Candidates fuel war chests, secure endorsements in advance of early voting

With early voting starting Saturday, New Orleans legislative candidates are pulling together the cash and people resources needed to fund last-minute mail and get-out-the-vote activities. At least five legislative candidates held fundraisers this week as well as soliciting donations through social media. Despite last night’s steady rain, several hundred donors were posing for photos and dropping off checks around town. 

House District 98 candidate Aimee Adatto Freeman drew the biggest crowd at the Uptown home of Kara Van de Carr and Darryl Byrd. Joining Freeman were her parents Be-Be and Ken Adatto, pollster Ron Faucheux, Aviation Board present Michael Bagneris and wife Madalyn, City Hall insider Bob Tucker, Dana and Steve Hansel, Chip Flower, Maria Wisdom, Richard Freeman, Frances Fayard and outgoing state Rep. Neil Abramson. “I’ve never seen a candidate work as hard as Aimee knocking doors and listening to the voters,” said former City Council President Stacy Head.

Danae Columbus: Gwen Collins-Greenup calls for audits, paper backups in voting process

Secretary of State Candidate Gwen Collins-Greenup told a New Orleans audience Wednesday night that every citizen should receive a receipt after casting his or her vote. “Printing out a paper receipt would build confidence in the election process,” she said. Collins-Greenup would also institute post election audits to ensure the accuracy of results and that “every Louisiana voice is heard.”

She believes that early voting should be allowed until the day before an election and that the voting hours should be extended to accommodate working mothers. “Louisiana is not a red state, it’s a non-voting state,” said Collins-Greenup. Collins-Greenup, a Democrat, is again facing off for a second time against current Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin, a Republican who was first elected in 2018 to fill the unexpired term of Tom Schedler.

Danae Columbus: Gov. Edwards failed to ignite Orleans Parish voters

Gov.  John Bel Edwards will face Republican Eddie Rispone in a Nov. 16 runoff in part because he was unable to get out all his base. While 45.3% of voters statewide cast their ballots in the race for governor yesterday, only 38.4% of New Orleanians voted. “Edwards won big here four years ago. This go-round, he did not excite enough African-American voters, especially in New Orleans,” said one consultant.

Freeman’s strength in Audubon neighborhoods buoyed her first-place finish in District 98

While the crowded District 98 race was as competitive as expected — with none of the seven candidates garnering even a third of the overall vote — Aimee Adatto Freeman led with large margins in nearly all the 14th Ward precincts around Audubon and the universities to finish first overall. Her three closest competitors — Kea Sherman, Ravi Sangisetty and Carlos Zervigon — all won a few precincts around the borders of District 98 as they battled for second place, according to an analysis of election results from the Secretary of State’s office. Sherman ultimately edged out Sangisetty and Zervigon to face Freeman in the Nov. 16 primary. Freeman won every precinct except one in the conservative-leaning 14th Ward (between Jefferson Avenue and Broadway Street).

Neighborhood-level vote tallies show why District 91 was so close between McKnight, Landry and Dinkler

Although District 91’s vote total overall was nearly a three-way tie, an analysis of how each precinct voted shows that Robert McKnight secured his first-place finish by winning the most precincts of any candidate. Mandie Landry trailed him by only 18 votes and secured her place in the runoff, meanwhile, by posting strong second-place showings in nearly every precinct where McKnight or third-place finisher Carling Dinkler led. McKnight — a public defender who has made criminal-justice reform a centerpiece of his campaign — built his lead with strong performances in 23 precincts from Hollygrove through Gert Town, Broadmoor and Central City, 15 of which he won outright with 50 to 60 percent of the vote. Dinkler actually won a plurality in slightly more precincts than Landry — 17 (four of which he won outright) to her 12. Despite leading in fewer districts, Landry surpassed Dinkler’s vote total by coming in a close second in all but three of the 40 precincts led by either McKnight or Dinkler — avoiding any of the single-digit showings that McKnight and Dinkler posted in some of the districts each other won.

Karen Carter Peterson re-elected; tight House races head to runoffs, and other primary election results

State Sen. Karen Carter Peterson sailed to re-election to her final term representing Uptown in the state legislature on Saturday night, but much of the rest of the New Orleans delegation remains to be determined with tight House races leading to runoffs. Peterson easily held on to her seat with 79 percent of the vote after facing a challenge from fellow attorney Allen Borne Jr., a fellow Democrat. Two other potential challengers withdrew from the race. Peterson, the current chair of the Louisiana Democratic Party, has represented the 5th District since 2010. She previously served in the state House of Representatives for District 93.

In case you just started paying attention, here’s what you need to know before voting Saturday

The local races for Uptown residents on Saturday’s ballot include, for the first time in many years, highly competitive races for the House of Representatives. In House District 91, Rep. Walt Leger III, was first elected in 2007 and is prevented from running again by term limits. Four Democrats — Carling Dinkler, Mandie Landry, Robert McKnight and Pepper Bowen Roussel — are vying for his seat. Term-limited District 98 state Rep. Neil Abramson, has also been in office since 2007. Seven candidates are seeking his seat: Evan Bergeron, Max Hayden Chiz, Aimee Adatto Freeman, Marion Freistadt,Ravi Sangisetty, Kea Sherman and Carlos Zervigon.

Nine questions: House District 98 candidates on property taxes, gun control, prescription drug prices, auto insurance rates and more

After the Carrollton Area Network candidates forum on Sept. 23, audience members submitted their own questions for the six candidates — Max Chiz, Aimee Adatto Freeman, Marion “Penny” Freistadt, Ravi Sangisetty, Kea Sherman and Carlos Zervigon — running for House District 98. The Carrollton Area Network sent these questions to the candidates:

1. To what degree, if any, do you support requiring all nonprofits to pay property taxes? 2.

Video: District 91 and 98 forums, moderated by Reps. Walt Leger and Neil Abramson

The Loyola University New Orleans College of Law Advocacy Center hosted a debate for the candidates seeking to be elected in Louisiana’s 91st and 98th House Districts on Thursday, Sept. 26. The candidates were questioned by moderators who know the job well; they’ve been representing the Uptown districts in the state House for the past decade. Term-limited District 91 state Rep. Walt Leger III, D-New Orleans, moderated the forum for the four candidates seeking his seat: Carling Dinkler, Mandie Landry, Robert McKnight and Pepper Bowen Roussel. All the House District 91 candidates are Democrats.