New Orleans Mayor Nagin raises campaign cash but keeps mum on plans NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Just a year after he won a second term, speculation is swirling that Mayor Ray Nagin is looking for another job - perhaps governor or congressman. He downplays the talk, saying he's focused on ’making sure that New Orleans comes back stronger than ever before." But Nagin, who has raised almost $500,000 in campaign money since his May 2006 election despite being barred by term limits from running for mayor again, didn't completely dismiss the speculation. Does he have plans to run for governor? ’Not at the moment." And if the seat now held by indicted U.S. Rep. William J. Jefferson, D-La., opens up? ’How many jobs are you guys going to give me? I'm running for governor, potentially, I'm running for Congress. Throw in some more seats, why don't you." For months, Nagin has aired his frustration with the pace of the city's recovery after Hurricane Katrina - particularly the rate at which federal rebuilding aid is flowing to the city. Some political analysts believe Nagin is hamstrung in what he can do here, and may be looking for a way out. ’'What's the point?' has got to be what he and his people are thinking," analyst Elliott Stonecipher said. ’His ratings (as mayor) are going to plummet, because he cannot do a thing about rebuilding and, apparently, he can't do a thing about the other problems" outside his control, like soaring insurance costs. ’Ray Nagin wanted to be re-elected in some sense as a vindication of his role in Katrina and the aftermath: 'See, I'm the leader, I did a good job and am doing a good job,"' offered Pearson Cross, an assistant political science professor at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette. ’But New Orleans has major problems and is coming along very slowly. My sense is, being the congressman from the 2nd District or governor would be very attractive." This week, a local TV station reported that Nagin said he would meet with Democratic leaders to see if he'd be a viable candidate for governor. A state party spokeswoman said neither the party chairman nor executive director had spoken with Nagin about so far.

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