Oliver Thomas launches mayoral campaign

The big picture: Thomas says he is running because he has the institutional knowledge to fix the city's roads, ensure reliable city services and "restore pride in our public spaces."

• He's been on and off the council for 15 years and is currently representing New Orleans East.
• He made waves last summer after unveiling what he called "PROJECT2025NOLA," which is not related to conservative Project 2025.
• Watch his campaign video and read his platform.

Zoom out: Mayor LaToya Cantrell is term-limited and leaves office in January 2026.

• Six people have entered the race so far, with Councilmember Helena Moreno the early frontrunner with fundraising.
• She ended last year with about $1 million in the bank, while Thomas has about $200,000, according to campaign finance reports.

What we're watching: More candidates will likely enter the race.

• Qualifying starts in July. The primary is in October, followed by the general election in November.

Go deeper: Our running list of candidates