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Confederate statue removals part of New Orleans mayor legacy

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NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- Mitch Landrieu enters his final year as mayor of New Orleans, drawing less attention to what's been built than to what's been taken down.

Landrieu spearheaded the effort to remove century-old landmarks, three honoring Confederate leaders and one heralding white supremacy.

Landrieu says his legacy amounts to much more. He points to the rebuilding of New Orleans in the years after Hurricane Katrina. But he also says he's proud of the monument removal, saying it's important for the future of the city and the nation.

Critics are still angry about the removal of the Confederate icons. And political analysts say it's hard to tell where the term-limited Democrat will land next in a deeply conservative state.