GOP Kenner mayoral candidate comes under fire after joke mentioning fried chicken and Democrats

Some political observers allege a Republican Kenner mayoral hopeful was being racially insensitive when he publicly told a joke this week that mentioned fried chicken, left wings and Democrats. But the candidate and some others who heard the joke deny it was racist, saying the barb was simply a play on words attacking a rival political ideology.

At the center of the controversy is Kenner City Councilman Keith Reynaud, who participated Tuesday night in a cook-off hosted by the River Region Republican Women's organization to raise funds for a nonprofit that donates dictionaries to young students.

While introducing the fried pork loin dish he had prepared, Reynaud -- who is running for mayor in the Nov. 8 primary -- joked with the event's attendees that he would have made fried chicken and served only the left wings if they were all at a Democratic event, according to accounts from the councilman and others who were there.

In the crowd was Jefferson Parish Councilman Mark Spears, a black Democrat who represents a portion of Kenner and who had been invited to the event by council colleague Ben Zahn, another Republican candidate for mayor of Kenner.

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