Editing Ray Nagin (section)

===Political affiliation===
Several news sources, including BBC News, have stated that Nagin was a registered Republican for most of his adult life, and a George W. Bush supporter, but switched to the Democratic Party shortly before seeking office. In 2004, he endorsed John Kerry for president. In a January 13, 2006 interview on the ''Tavis Smiley Show'', Nagin himself denied these rumors, stating that he "never was a Republican" and that he has been a "life-long Democrat", and several news organizations that reported he was a Republican issued retractions. He periodically gave contributions to candidates of both parties, including Representative Billy Tauzin in 1999 and 2000, as well as Democrat Senators John Breaux and J. Bennett Johnston, Jr. earlier in the decade. Nagin endorsed conservative Republican Bobby Jindal over conservative Democrat Lieutenant Governor Kathleen Blanco in the 2003 runoff for governor.