Helena Moreno To Run for the LA State Senate?

In this morning's print edition* of the Times-Picayune, under Frank Donze's byline, we learned that Helena Moreno is pondering a run for the seat of resigning LA State Senator Cheryl Gray Evans (Louisiana's 5th Senate District seat). If true, then Moreno will be competing againt Karen Carter Peterson (and possibly Irma Muse Dixon).

Moreno, whom I consider to be a Republican wrapped in the clothing of a Democrat, is currently not likely to get my vote.

Why not? Well, not only is she a Batt Girl, supporting Republican Jay Batt in his bid to rejoin the New Orleans City Council, when there is a perfectly competent Democrat in the running, but her behavior at a Congressional forum left much to be desired. She showed up 15 minutes late and got up and left right in the middle of the event.

Helena Moreno was a big disappointment to me, especially since I am someone who would like nothing more than to see local Latinos much more engaged in and involved in local politics. Suffice it to say that she wraps herself in her Latina identity when it is convenient, but exhibits almost no interest in public policy issues that are important to the Latino community. In fact, all anecdotal evidence points to her aligning with politicians and movements who are hostile to progressive policy positions important to the Latino community.

At least I can have some influence on Moreno's chances in this electoral contest, since I am a resident in this Louisiana Senate District and will at least have the opportunity to vote in this election. I won't declare myself absolutely and decisively opposed to a Moreno candidacy at this point, but she has a much higher threshhold with me to win my vote and to win the endorsement of The Huck Upchuck than do the other potential and declared candidates.

And I WILL endorse someone. So, I would advise Helena Moreno, if she ever happens to come across The Huck Upchuck and if she cares at all about my vote (and my ability to influence other voters in this Senate District, such as it is), that she should make a conscious effort to prove to me that she's not a Republican in Democratic clothing, that she is actively attentive to the broader Latino community and its civic activists, and that she will be an advocate for policy positions important to the full range of the Latino Community.

* Note: The online version of the Times-Picayune is nearly impossible to navigate. Although I did find the first half of the relevant article by Frank Donze online, the second part of this article which included the reference to Louisiana's 5th Senate District race was nowhere to be found.