The Atlanta and New Orleans mayoral races seem to be race card games

[alp227]

Atlanta, Georgia and New Orleans, Louisiana are two American cities that have had black mayors for the past 30+ years. Atlanta recently had a mayoral race, and New Orleans has one this year two. It appears that race is playing a central role in these races.

For example, after a recount gave former Georgia State Senator Kasim Reed the victory in Atlanta's mayoral election in December, a report in The Wall Street Journal has the neutral, fact-based headline "Race for Atlanta's Mayor Settled" and stated in a subtitle: "Recount Ends Councilwoman's Bid to Be City's First White Leader Since 1973". That councilwoman is Mary Norwood, a member of the Atlanta City Council.

Today, The New York Times has this report about the New Orleans mayoral race this year: "Racial Divide Tested in New Orleans Vote". Last month, Lieutenant Governor Mitch Landrieu (brother of US Senator Mary Landrieu) declared his candidacy for mayor among other candidates with "relatively low wattage". Interestingly, Mitch's father Moon was the last white mayor of New Orleans, and if elected Mitch might be the first white mayor of New Orleans since 1978 (the article says "...influential blacks around the city are already anxious about the possible effects of electing the first white mayor in 32 years"). State Senator Ed Murray, who is black, dropped out of the race earlier this month.

Another related interesting development of race in the South: NYT reported : "The South has become the first region in the country where more than half of public school students are poor and more than half are members of minorities, according to a new report." ()

Also, I sorta recall hearing about "...first white politician here since Reconstruction" for Southern states sometimes. Can anyone enlighten me?