Sidney Torres Might Run For Mayor of New Orleans

Can't say we didn't see it coming: In Gambit's glorious cover story this week, New Orleans' real estate Romeo Sidney Torres said he's considering a run for mayor.

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"The city's most well-known garbage man" started mulling a run for office after a phone poll indicated that people in New Orleans are familiar with Torres, a ubiquitious public person with no chill. And although the next mayoral election isn't for another year and a half, he's thinking about throwing his hat in the ring (a metaphorical hat—his hair is too beautiful for hats):

"I was surprised to learn how many people knew who I was citywide," he says. "I knew being on TV all the time, people know who you are, but not knowing what I did."

"I'm serious about keeping the door open," he says. "I'm not going to rule that out right now."

The feature also includes information on what Torres plans to do with the North Rampart Street monastery he bought in February. He hopes to turn the property into a "resort-like assisted living facility":

"I want to do something where you don't have to sell it to your mother, father, grandmother, uncle. They want to come here," he says. "Because it's like a five-star hotel."

He anticipates it'll be a year before everything is approved, but Torres says the plans have "early support from the neighborhood organization Vieux Carre Property Owners, Residents and Associates."

Does he have your early support for his theoretical mayoral run?

• Sidney Torres: the cleaner [Gambit]