Jefferson Politics: Martin Marino nurses his wounds
by Sparacello, Purpura and Bronston - Times-Picayune (excerpt)

BACK ON BOARD: Jefferson Parish School Board President Martin Marino is not accustomed to losing at the polls. He has been elected to the board seven consecutive times, his most recent victory in 2006 a landslide. But on Saturday he found himself on the losing end of an election when he placed third in the hotly contested race for the Parish Council's 5th District seat. He collected a dismal 15 percent of the vote, trailing state Sen. Julie Quinn, who got 30 percent, and Cindy Lee-Sheng, an accountant and daughter of the late Sheriff Harry Lee, who won with 53 percent.

Marino said he simply didn't raise enough money to compete with his opponents, especially Lee-Sheng, who had raised $271,950 through March 26. "It's hard to run for any elected office without money," said Marino, who raised $53,000. "We had the workers, but we didn't have the bucks."

Still, he said, "I gave it everything I had. I ran a good clean campaign. And I offered the people a choice." He said he has since offered his support to Lee-Sheng and thinks she will do a good job.