Helena Moreno kicks off mayoral campaign in New Orleans
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Helena Moreno speaks at a COVID-19 memorial service outside Gallier Hall in 2021. Photo: Erika Goldring/Getty Images
City Council President Helena Moreno says she wants to be the next mayor of New Orleans because the city needs a new direction.
Why it matters: Moreno, who has been rumored for months to be eyeing the city's top spot, officially launched her campaign Wednesday.
Between the lines: Mayor LaToya Cantrell is term-limited and leaves office in 2026.
The big picture: In Moreno's first campaign video, she says she will work for a "safer, more affordable, more functional New Orleans."
- She was elected to the City Council in 2017. She previously was a state legislator and a WDSU reporter.
- 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. She's already held several big fundraisers this year.
Zoom out: Moreno is expected to face several challengers.
- Ricky Twiggs, a licensed counselor, announced his candidacy earlier this year as an independent.
- Belden "Noonie Man" Batiste, the man behind the efforts to recall Cantrell, originally planned to run for mayor but now he tells Axios he's running for a council seat.
Other names are floating in political circles.
Councilmember Oliver Thomas on Wednesday congratulated Moreno and said on social media that he's "considering offering myself as a mayoral candidate."
- He said he'll make a decision around Mardi Gras.
- He's increased his public appearances in recent months and wrote what appears to be a campaign platform, which he called "Project2025NOLA," as an alternative to the conservative reform initiative.
Arthur Hunter told Axios on Wednesday that he is "strongly considering" running for mayor. "It's early."
- He's a lawyer, former judge in the Orleans Parish Criminal District Court and former NOPD officer.
- Hunter's been sharing his ideas in columns for The Lens.
State Sen. Royce Duplessis is "seriously considering" running as well, he told Axios last month.
- "I'm weighing all the factors and, ultimately, I'm going to do what's in the best interest of the city," he said.
- He posted a statement on Instagram after Moreno's announcement that appeared to take a swipe at her WDSU background. "We need a leader that has proven that they don't just report problems, but solves them."
By the numbers: Moreno is leading the polls so far, according to JMC Analytics and Polling.
- She was the top pick for 35% of respondents, while Thomas garnered 17%.
- Duplessis had 9%, Hunter had 2% and former Entergy New Orleans CEO Charles Rice got 1%.
- 37% of respondents said they were undecided. See the full report.
How it works: The company polled 405 likely voters in Orleans Parish in September.
The intrigue: New Orleans has been a Democratic-run city for decades. While Republicans have run for mayor recently, they haven't been successful.
- Adrian L. Bruneau, the chairman of the Orleans Parish Republican Executive Committee, in a statement last month said Democrats have destroyed the city's growth, but didn't say if the party will field any candidates.
- The other candidates above, with the exception of Twiggs, are Democrats.
The bottom line: It's still early, and more candidates will likely throw their hats in the ring.
- Qualifying starts in July 2025. The primary is in October 2025, followed by the general election in November.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional details from Thomas, Hunter and Duplessis.