Changes

Durel and Weber hence entered the [[general election]] held on November 15, 2003. Durel won with 34,806 votes (52 percent) to Weber's 32,113 (48 percent). The mayor-presidency vote mirrored the gubernatorial totals in Lafayette Parish. Republican [[Bobby Jindal]] received 34,951 votes (52 percent) to Democrat [[Kathleen Blanco]]'s 32,734 (48 percent). Blanco hence won the governorship but lost her home parish of Lafayette. Durel trailed Jindal by only 145 votes in the parish, and Weber trailed Blanco by 621 ballots. On the surface, there appeared to have been relatively little ticket-splitting in the two Lafayette Parish races.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, November 15, 2003.</ref>  

Durel and Weber hence entered the [[general election]] held on November 15, 2003. Durel won with 34,806 votes (52 percent) to Weber's 32,113 (48 percent). The mayor-presidency vote mirrored the gubernatorial totals in Lafayette Parish. Republican [[Bobby Jindal]] received 34,951 votes (52 percent) to Democrat [[Kathleen Blanco]]'s 32,734 (48 percent). Blanco hence won the governorship but lost her home parish of Lafayette. Durel trailed Jindal by only 145 votes in the parish, and Weber trailed Blanco by 621 ballots. On the surface, there appeared to have been relatively little ticket-splitting in the two Lafayette Parish races.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, November 15, 2003.</ref>  

Asked how he won the mayor-presidency as a candidate without previous political experience, Durel said: "Having never run for political office, it was a new experience. It was a total family effort in the decision to run and in the race itself. . . . The decision was not easy given the perception (and a little reality) of politics in Louisiana. Our attitude was to become part of the solution; so if we didn't get involved, we had no one to blame but ourselves. It also took the support of the many great people in our community that wanted nothing more than to see Lafayette be given the opportunity to grow and to prosper."

Asked how he won the mayor-presidency as a candidate without previous political experience, Durel said:

<blockquote>Having never run for political office, it was a new experience. It was a total family effort in the decision to run and in the race itself. ... The decision was not easy given the perception (and a little reality) of politics in Louisiana. Our attitude was to become part of the solution; so if we didn't get involved, we had no one to blame but ourselves. It also took the support of the many great people in our community that wanted nothing more than to see Lafayette be given the opportunity to grow and to prosper."</blockquote>

===Second term===

===Second term===