Louisiana Lt. Governor Mitch Landrieu says he is not going to run for Mayor of New Orleans.
"With Landrieu out of the race, there is clearly no front runner," WWL and Gambit political analyst Clancy DuBos reacted. "It is truly a wide open race."
State Senator Ed Murray and Representative Austin Badon have told many people they intend to run.
DuBos says other potential candidates include businessmen Roy Glapion and John Georges, former City Councilman Eddie Sapir, Councilman Arnie Fielkow, Councilwoman Jackie Clarkson, Councilman James Carter.
"It's truly as wide open as it gets," DuBos said. He expects a lot of announcements between Labor Day and Halloween with qualifying in December.
DuBos adds there are "possibly more we haven't even thought of yet."
Listen to DuBos:
Why did Landrieu opt out? DuBos says Landrieu probably decided he has a good shot at the Governor's office and would prefer that.
"He probably thought long and hard about, 'What does Mitch Landrieu really want to do with the rest of his political career?' " DuBos said. "Knowing the Bobby Jindal - in spite of what he says - clearly wants to run for president, he could sit tight as lieutenant governor and possibly walk into the governor's office if Bobby Jindal were to run for president or to get tapped as a vice presidential candidate in 2012."
Landrieu has run for mayor twice before and lost.