An early look at who's running for New Orleans mayor in 2025

Between the lines: Mayor LaToya Cantrell is term-limited and leaves office in 2026.

The big picture: It's still very early, but Moreno and Thomas are the candidates mentioned most frequently in political circles. Sen. Royce Duplessis' name also is in the mix.

• No one has made an official announcement about the race.
• Duplessis didn't respond to inquiries, but he held a fundraiser last month, according to NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune.

What she's saying: "I've been very encouraged by the support I've received to run to be the next mayor," Moreno said in a statement to Axios New Orleans, adding the city needs a "24-7 mayor who is about the work and not the perks."

• Cantrell has come under fire for her travel schedule and use of the city-owned Pontalba apartment.
• Moreno's website was updated to say "Helena Moreno For Our Future." It mentions a campaign, but doesn't say the ultimate goal.

What he's saying: "Regarding any upcoming elections, the people of [Thomas'] district and this city will decide that outcome whether he seeks to return to his Council seat or any other opportunities," said Brian Egana, Thomas' campaign adviser.

• Thomas and Moreno both said they are focusing on their daily jobs as City Council members at the moment.

Meanwhile, Belden "Noonie Man" Batiste tells Axios he is considering running.

• He spearheaded the effort to recall Cantrell and previously ran against her.

By the numbers: Moreno leads the pack with fundraising.

• She got $100,000 in campaign contributions last year, ending 2023 with about $300,000 in her war chest, according to filings with the state.
• Thomas' campaign ended the year with about $40,000 cash on hand, records show, while Duplessis had about $25,000.
• Batiste hasn't had any filings since 2021.

Meanwhile, other City Council members, with the exception of Eugene Green, told Axios they are not running.

• Green's chief of staff tells Axios that the councilman "reserves comment at this time."
• DA Jason Williams, retired judge Arthur Hunter and former Entergy New Orleans CEO Charles Rice are other names floating around, according to Will Sutton with NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune.
• Previous mayoral candidates Michael Bagneris and Troy Henry told Axios they were not running.

• Desirée Charbonnet, who faced Cantrell in a 2017 runoff, and businessman Sidney Torres, who flirted with a previous run, didn't respond.

Yes, but: We have more than a year before qualifying starts, and political strategist and pollster Silas Lee is "quite sure" more people will throw their hats in the ring.

• "Some of which we know and many of which we don't know," the Xavier professor tells Axios.
• "A lot of people can talk about it, but you have to put the money down to qualify" and then you have to have the resources and infrastructure to run a campaign, he said.

How it works: Lee says campaigns don't want to start too early because it burns through money when voters aren't paying attention.

• The sweet spot with voters, he says, is eight to 10 months, depending on competition and what's happening in the world.

What's next: Candidates will formally announce before qualifying starts in July 2025.

• The primary is in October 2025 followed by the general election in November.

Editor's note: This story was originally published April 29 and was updated May 7 with a comment from Councilman Eugene Green's chief of staff. He previously had not responded.