Ray Nagin - 2002 Mayoral Election

2002 Mayoral Election

The 2002 mayoral race found citizens uninspired by the city's lethargic economy and traditional political candidates entering the race. While discussing this with his teenage sons and friends, Nagin discovered that they all were planning to leave New Orleans after college as they did not see enough opportunities. At that point Nagin concluded he needed to get involved in helping the city at a much higher level.

Nagin entered the race for mayor on the final day of qualifying. There were already fourteen other better known candidates that had announced their candidacy. Nagin was at first considered a long shot as he was not backed by any of the city's established political organizations. He hired Jim Carvin, an elder campaign manager who had never lost a mayoral race.

Nagin was a quick study, excelled in debates and connected with voters. Many citizens favored Nagin's expressions of disgust with traditional Louisiana politics, including promises to fight political corruption and run the city in a more businesslike manner. Shortly before the primary mayoral election, on January 17, 2002, the Times Picayune and Gambit Weekly endorsed Nagin as a reformer. His message of change, economic prosperity and accountability along with other late endorsements, gave him crucial momentum that would carry through the primary and runoff elections.

In the first round of the crowded mayoral election in February 2002, Nagin won first place with 29 percent of the vote. Some of his opponents were the very popular Police Chief Richard Pennington, State Senator Paulette Irons, City Councilman Troy Carter and others. In the runoff on Saturday, March 2, 2002, Nagin defeated Richard Pennington with 59% of the votes to become the 60th mayor of New Orleans.