Mayoral race gets a stir

Baton Rouge Metro Council Mayor Pro Tem Mike Walker this morning began airing radio ads on several stations in his campaign against Mayor Kip Holden. The ads are part of a two-part series of spots targeting Holden's record on crime. "It's on crime, and on police academies and the need for them," says political consultant Roy Fletcher, who produced the spots. The Walker campaign is spending between $5,000 and $6,000 on the ads. Fletcher notes that broadcast ads don't usually ramp up until Labor Day. "This is just to put a little stir in the cocktail," he quips.