New Orleans Voters Reelect Jefferson; They Trust Him More Than FEMA or the Army Corps of Engineers
Brian Zick
Adam Nossiter for the NY Times reports: Brushing past months of unflattering headlines about a federal corruption investigation, Representative William J. Jefferson was elected to a ninth term on Saturday, with a decisive runoff victory that again emphasized this city’s sharp racial divisions.
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Analysts were surprised at Mr. Jefferson’s victory. “It’s not good for the city, and it’s not good for the state,” said Susan Howell, a political scientist at the University of New Orleans. “We’ve re-elected the least effective congressman, at odds with the speaker of the House. He’s going to be totally preoccupied with legal troubles as opposed to representing the people of the Second District.”
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“He’s worked it hard down there over the years, and they haven’t proven anything yet,” said Freddie Robinson, a retired bus mechanic, after casting his ballot for Mr. Jefferson. “He’s done so much for us.”
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