As of today, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell has 200 days left in office. Will we see any changes in how Cantrell conducts herself in the final few months of her term? One political analyst says, "No."
JMC Analytics pollster John Couvillon says Mayor LaToya Cantrell has no incentive to become more active and more involved as mayor during her final six-and-a-half months in office. A recent survey conducted by another pollster, Ron Faucheux, found that only 27 percent of New Orleans residents approve of the job Cantrell is doing. That, Couvillon says, allows Cantrell not to care about the day-to-day aspect of being mayor.
"My attitude this late in a person's term with bad approval ratings is: you're basically running out the clock at this point," Couvillon said. "What's really the incentive this late in your career to change what you're already doing?"
Couvillon believes Mayor Cantrell will be checked out for her last 200 days as the city's chief executive. He says Cantrell's poor poll performance gives Cantrell even more reason to allow her deputies to run City Hall in her stead.
"I would suspect this late in her term, with her approval ratings being down and being almost out of office, it's kind of like there's really much incentive to step up the game on a day-to-day basis," Couvillon said. "Of course, if there's a natural disaster, that would be entirely different, but day-to-day stuff, I would expect there would be a lot more underlings running the show."
Couvillon says Cantrell might be most visible during the upcoming mayoral election, not because she's on the ballot but because two city council members running for the seat might use her as a punching bag.
"I think the temptation for political posturing would be much greater in that instance when you're trying to seek another office--showing that you stood up to the mayor and that you stand for something different," Couvillon said.
Cantrell's term in office officially ends at noon on Sunday, January 11.
Related
