Cantrell wins race for mayor in New Orleans; 1st woman elected as mayor in city's history

NEW ORLEANS -- It was a historic election night Saturday, November 18th in New Orleans, where voters have elected the first woman mayor and the first member of the Vietnamese community to serve on the City Council.

Complete returns show LaToya Cantrell, a City Council member, defeated former municipal Judge Desiree Charbonnet (DEZ'-uh-ray SHAR'-boh-nay) in the race to succeed term-limited Mayor Mitch Landrieu.

In a City Council race, Cyndi Nguyen (Winn), defeated an incumbent to become the first Vietnamese council member.

Nguyen's biography says she and her family escaped communist Vietnam in 1975. She has worked as a coordinator for an affordable housing development and she started a nonprofit community-building organization.