Race for District B seat on City Council grows to five candidates

In what is becoming one of the most competitive races in the fall elections for New Orleans city government, the District B seat has drawn a political newcomer as a fifth contender to fill the vacancy left by LaToya Cantrell’s bid for mayor.

Dr. Catherine Love, a 42-year-old Garden District resident making her first run for office, announced her candidacy for the seat in an email Monday morning. Love will face four other announced candidates: Jay Banks, Seth Bloom, Eric Johnson and Timothy David Ray.

For details, see the full announcement below:

Dr. Catherine Love has announced her candidacy for New Orleans City Council District B, seeking to replace LaToya Cantrell. It is her first foray into politics.

Love, 42, holds two doctoral degrees – a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Wisconsin at Madison and a Doctorate in Biomedical Technology from Frei University in Berlin, Germany, where she also did post-doctoral work as a Humboldt Fellow. Married to Michael Love, a business-owner, contractor and professionally trained actor, the Loves recently welcomed twins, Pierce and Piper. Although she has traveled the world to conduct research and conservation, the Loves have owned their Garden District home since 2005.

“Growing up the daughter of an Air Force officer, I learned the importance of service and of putting others above self,” Love said in announcing her candidacy. “Moving through several states while young due to my father’s service, I also developed strong interpersonal skills and the ability to bond with people from all backgrounds. As a bi-racial woman, I have seen and experienced discrimination at a multitude of levels. All of those factors make me a strong candidate for office and will allow me to better serve the people of District B, and of our entire city.

“I’m not a politician,” she said, “and I don’t aim to be. I’m a wife, mother, environmental and wildlife conservationist, researcher and volunteer. My service as a candidate and as a councilwoman won’t be about building a political career or personal power. It will be about listening, serving, and doing the best I can to give New Orleans the best it deserves.”

Love’s website is www.Love4NOLA.com, and her Facebook page can be found by searching “Catherine Love for City Council.”

The election is Oct. 14, but candidates will file their formal qualifying paperwork July 12 through 14.