Wicker says she’s staying out of mayoral race, supporting Holden

Now that Metro Councilor and Mayor Pro Tem Mike Walker has confirmed he’ll challenge Kip Holden in the fall election, an already acrimonious relationship between the mayor pro tem and the mayor is likely to become even more contentious, and at least one member of the Metro Council is bracing herself for political fireworks in the coming months. “It’s ugly, and it’s going to get worse,” says Metro Councilor Tara Wicker. “The thing that frustrates me is, they are forgetting that the citizens are at the end of this. … If I could push them in a corner and give them gloves and let them fight it out, I would.” For months, speculation has swirled that Wicker herself might throw her hat into the ring for the city’s top job. She now says she won’t—at least not this year—adding she plans to back Holden in the fall. “I look at where we were and where we have gone, and I don’t think he has done a bad job,” she says. “He’s our mayor and I am supporting him.” Walker confirmed Tuesday that he’s entering the race and will officially kick off his campaign at a 1:30 p.m. event at Cortana Mall today. That’s about an hour after Holden delivers his annual State of the City address at a meeting of the Rotary Club of Baton Rouge. Two local businessmen are also in the race: Jim Mayer and Gordon Mese. —Stephanie Riegel