For the first time in 12 years, Baton Rouge’s mayoral seat is open and an entirely new administration has the chance to take the reins.
A dozen candidates have qualified to be the next city-parish leader, and an unprecedented amount of money has been poured into campaign accounts and a super PAC.
As Business Report details in its new cover story, the election also comes on the heels of a historically tumultuous summer for Baton Rouge—the Alton Sterling shooting, followed by the killing of three law enforcement officers in July, and the disastrous 1,000-year flood in August. The city now must move forward, with a new mayor and a new Metro Council, which has three open seats and nine up for re-election.
So the stage is set, the stakes are high and the primary is now just weeks away. But with the parish in recovery mode, are voters even paying attention to the mayoral race? And with no consensus of support from the business community, have the candidates failed thus far to capture the interest of civic and business leaders?
“People aren’t paying much attention to it,” says Bob Mann, an LSU mass communication professor and political columnist. “The next mayor will be a critically important decision, not just because of the flood, but because of the reconciliation the community needs after Sterling and the protests. It’s an incredibly important decision people aren’t focusing on.”
What’s disappointing, Mann says, is that the candidates have yet to model the type of leadership the city needs after the recent tragedies. And he’s not the only one feeling less than enthusiastic about his options for mayor.
The business community has not thrown its unanimous support behind any candidate yet. The Baton Rouge Area Chamber’s political action committee, FuturePAC, decided not to endorse in the primary election. Businessman and political activist Lane Grigsby is also sitting this one out. The retired CEO and founder of Cajun Industries is unimpressed by the candidates and their lack of a concrete plan for the parish.
“When someone says they want to be your next leader, you’d think they’d have a plan going forward,” says Grigsby, whose support is highly sought after by local and statewide candidates.
Still, the business community does have some uniform requirements for the next mayor. They want more involvement in education, an area former mayors typically strayed away from. They also call for transportation solutions, flood recovery, strong leadership to unite the parish and a distinct, comprehensive vision for the future of East Baton Rouge.
While endorsements are lacking, campaign donations are not. Several businesses and individuals are placing their bets, with some donating to more than one candidate. Most of the big players have lined up behind Republican state Sen. Mack “Bodi” White, and a super PAC has been created to support him—a first for any Baton Rouge mayoral race.
White and former Democratic state Sen. Sharon Weston Broome lead the field in fundraising and are widely considered the frontrunners of their respective parties. Realtor and independent candidate Darryl Gissel also has a substantial campaign war chest. He’s followed by Republican Metro Councilman John Delgado, who has developed a strong presence in Baton Rouge, and Democratic state Rep. C. Denise Marcelle, who could split votes on the left side of the aisle.
The remaining candidates vying for the mayoral seat are former Metro Councilmen Smokie Bourgeois and Byron Sharper, Greg LaFleur, B.J. Amador, Rufus Craig, Braylon Hyde and Cade Williams.
Read the full cover package, which includes profiles of all 12 candidates and a Q&A with outgoing Mayor Kip Holden. Send your comments to editors@businessreport.com.
