NEW ORLEANS — In politics, rarely does a hotly contested race end with a kiss and a handshake.
That is certainly the case in the New Orleans City Council Division Two At Large election.
The two frontrunners, J.P. Morrell and Kristin Palmer are trading barbs with less than two weeks left in the campaign.
“Kristin Palmer is the worst kind of politician,” Morrell said.
“At the end of the day, he’s a termed-out state senator,” Palmer said.
Palmer put out a campaign flyer claiming Morrell covers for bad cops.
She cited a Times-Picayune | New Orleans Advocate investigation which listed Morrell’s two brothers among the top earners on the NOPD when it comes to off duty detail work.
Palmer suggests they may have used family political connections to get lucrative assignments at the New Orleans Fair Grounds.
Morrell clapped back on social media.
"My brothers Nick and Todd are bomb techs on the SWAT team,” Morrell said. They put their lives on the line for us every day.”
Morrell has accused Palmer of fighting preservationists and civil rights leaders to allow the doomed Hard Rock Hotel to be built.
The building collapsed two years ago, killing three construction workers.
“It’s abhorrent that you do this to the family of the victims and make them relive it in a really horrible political way,” Palmer said. “It’s gross.”
Political pollster and Xavier University professor Dr. Silas Lee said both candidates are attacking each other to score points with a distracted electorate post, Hurricane Ida.
“People are still trying to rebuild their lives, dealing with insurance companies, dealing with contractors,” Lee said. “They’re not exclusively focused on politics.”
Lee added the goal is to prevent a winner on the first ballot.
“They are trying to create some excitement and tarnish one candidate or create doubt about one candidate compared to another so they can capture some votes in a low turnout election to stop a primary win or make it to a runoff.”
Morrell accused Palmer of trying to distract voters from what he called her failed record on the city council.
“Eight years of not fixing our streets,” Morrell said. “Eight years of not solving crime. And, eight years of not keeping us safe. She does not want to compare our records, so she attacks my family. It’s despicable”
Palmer said she’s proud of her record.
“I’ve done nothing but bring resources and fight for my district and everybody in my district knows that,” Palmer said. “He’s trying to paint the ills of a post Ida recovery on the entire council. I think it’s ridiculous.”
Xavier University administrator Bart Everson is also running in the at large race. City Councilman Jared Brossett suspended his bid for the seat following his arrest on a drunk driving charge.
The primary election is on Nov.13.