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Nagin gets the job of fixing New Orleans

Voters narrowly decide that the maverick incumbent mayor is best suited to keep his job and oversee the city's comeback from Katrina.

NEW ORLEANS - Mayor Ray Nagin-the shoot-from-the-hip maverick believed buried in the political rubble of Hurricane Katrina and by his declaration that New Orleans was ordained to be a "chocolate city" - won another term Saturday to lead the historic recovery of his storm-ravaged hometown.

In a close election where race played a bigger role than rebuilding plans, Nagin defeated Lt. Gov. Mitch Landrieu, the son of the Crescent City's last white mayor. The mayor won overwhelmingly in the predominantly African-American precincts and ran strong enough in the white neighborhoods to patch together a majority.

With 100 percent of precincts reporting, Nagin had 52.3 percent, or 59,460 votes, to Landrieu's 47.7 percent, or 54,131 votes.

Landrieu congratulated Nagin and urged his supporters to join with the mayor to "bring this great city back again."

"Come hell or high water, and we've had both, we're going to find common ground," said Landrieu in his concession speech.

Beginning his second term the day before the June 1 start of hurricane season, Nagin faces a staggering task of just removing rotting debris still on the streets eight months after Katrina and enticing residents back to ghost neighborhoods of devastated houses.

The candidates agreed on the same broad reconstruction plan -rebuilding the city and its economy behind the protection of upgraded and federally funded levees and giving almost all residents the option of rebuilding in their old neighborhoods.

Absentee and early votes went slightly for Nagin. And while the results showed Nagin carrying majority black precincts and Landrieu winning in majority white ones, Nagin pulled a significant crossover vote in some heavily populated predominantly white precincts in Uptown New Orleans.

Nagin, a former cable television executive first elected to public office in 2002, argued the city could ill-afford to change course just as rebuilding gathered steam. His second term begins a day before the June 1 start of the next hurricane season in a city where streets are still strewn with rusting, mud-covered cars and entire neighborhoods consist of homes that are empty shells.

"I want the city to come back," said 61-year-old Alice Howard, an evacuee who returned by bus from Houston to cast her ballot. "This is my city. This is home to me. ... I want to make sure the correct person takes care of home."

With little disagreement on the major issues - the right of residents to rebuild in all areas and the urgent need for federal aid for recovery - the race came down to a referendum on leadership styles: the brash newcomer incumbent vs. the political establishment challenger.

Nagin, a janitor's son from a black, working-class neighborhood, is known for his improvisational, some say impulsive, rhetoric. After Katrina plunged his city into chaos, Nagin was both scorned and praised for a tearful plea for the federal government to "get off their (behinds) and do something" and his now-famous remark that God intended New Orleans to be a "chocolate" city.

Landrieu, who served 16 years in the state House before being elected to his current post of lieutenant governor two years ago, said his strength was his ability to bring people together and get things done.

The scion of a political dynasty known as Louisiana's version of the Kennedys, he's the brother of Sen. Mary Landrieu and had hoped to be the first white mayor in a generation, since his father, Moon Landrieu, left office in 1978.

Landrieu echoed the theme of his campaign - a call for unity - as he conceded to Nagin.

"One thing is for sure - that we as a people have got to come together so we can speak with one voice and one purpose," he said. "Join with me in supporting Mayor Nagin."

Earlier Saturday, about 250 evacuees wearing "Displaced Voter" T-shirts were greeted by a jazz band at a City Hall rally with Nagin and Landrieu.

The candidates embraced when they met, reflecting the civil tone of a race where there has been little disagreement on the major issues: the right of residents to rebuild in all areas and the urgent need for federal aid for recovery and the best possible levee protection.

Information from the Associated Press and Cox News Service was used in this report.

[Last modified May 21, 2006, 05:38:24]