Neil Abramson made the runoff against James Johnson
Times-Picayune (excerpt)

98TH DISTRICT

Uptown, Central City and parts of Broadmoor and Mid-City.

Neil Abramson, a Democratic lawyer who put criminal justice reform at the top of his campaign platform, made the runoff against James Johnson, another Democratic lawyer, in the five-candidate race to fill the seat of state Rep. Cheryl Gray, who instead sought the 5th District state Senate seat.

Abramson, 40, who holds an undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College, advocated full repairs and improvements to the city's law enforcement facilities, including a high-tech crime lab. He also proposed reforming the juvenile justice program to focus more on rehabilitation and employment than incarceration.

Johnson, at 31 the youngest candidate in the field, stressed his ability to represent all parts of the diverse district, which includes affluent, mid-range and low-income areas. His top campaign priorities were improving public education, encouraging parents to get involved in their children's schooling and lowering the crime rate..