We're about 300 days away from next year's election to determine who succeeds Mayor LaToya Cantrell, and one candidate has just launched her campaign.
For months, there's been speculation that New Orleans City Councilwoman Helena Moreno, a Democrat, would throw her hat into the race. Political signs began sprouting up over the summer on residential lawns and road intersections, and in August, Moreno filed campaign paperwork stating her intent to run for mayor. And on Wednesday, she made things official, announcing her campaign in a 3-minute video posted online.
“We need to get back to the basics,” Moreno said in a video shared on Facebook. “I believe we need a leader who’s there 24/7, someone who’s ready to roll up their sleeves and get things done. It’s time to make the people of New Orleans the top priority once again.”
Moreno, a former state representative, was first elected to the council in 2017. Her profile on the council's website says she's championed progressive causes like fighting climate change, reducing incarceration by preventing unnecessary arrests and has authored laws to shield victims of sexual assault. She also passed legislation through the council, establishing a measure to instantly pardon anyone caught with possession of marijuana, pardoning thousands of people with possession crimes.
Moreno is the first major politician to enter what’s expected to be a crowded field to replace incumbent Mayor LaToya Cantrell, who's term-limited and thus ineligible to run for re-election in 2025. The election will take place next fall.
