Can Shreveport Ever Have a Republican Mayor Again?

American Ground Radio host Louis R. Avallone talks about the Shreveport mayor's race and whether the city, despite it's heavy Democrat majority, will ever see a Republican leader again.

"Can a Republican win? Absolutely," says Avallone. "Is good government really partisan? Your sewer, your water, getting your trach picked up on time? And I think that's what Shreveporters are really focused on. The most successful, thriving cities are the ones who become really good at just doing the basics. But...Shreveport is not doing that.

"We've alluded to the African-American population. I think they're past party politics as well. Isn't it immoral to disqualify a candidate based on the color of their skin? And I think we're discouraging candidates, no matter how qualified they might be, from running for mayor, based simply on the color of their skin."

And Avallone also addresses a number of stories that Mayor Adrian Perkins support in the Black community could be shaky. "I hear that all the time," he says, "This goes beyond party. This goes beyond skin color. It's about saving our city."

But what about Shreveport's Black voters voting overwhelmingly Democratic? Is there any possibility that could change? Avallone seems to think so. "The African-American leaders I have spoken to, the African-American voters, that is highly insulting to them. This is so uncomfortable for us talking about how we're going to elect a mayor to lead our city and we're still dividing ourselves by the most uncivilized, elementary and ignorant way possible and that's by our skin color."