5 Reasons GH’s Laura Is Carrying Port Charles on Her Shoulders

Mayor Laura Collins, played by Genie Francis, is one of General Hospital's longest-running characters and has had a tremendous impact on the soap's storylines. The former agent currently holds an important office and works to maintain peace in Port Charles. In a town riddled with mobsters and corrupt officials, Laura has the uphill task of cleaning up the mess and ensuring the safety of its residents. Moreover, she has to balance protecting her family and friends while safeguarding the titular hospital. As such, she continues to serve as both the moral anchor and the political shield of Port Charles.

5 motives behind Laura’s responsible stance

1) Keeping the constituency safe

Laura works hard for peace and safety in Port Charles | Image: ABC

As the longtime mayor of Port Charles, Laura Collins is genuinely invested in the safety of the townspeople. She has lived in and loved the town for decades and has sacrificed much for the well-being of its residents. As the elected mayor, she feels a deep responsibility to the people who put their trust in her.

Currently, there has been a great deal of negative publicity surrounding her friendship with the town's mob boss, Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard). This has endangered her position, with rivals launching attacks against her and threatening to remove her from office. With corrupt councilman Ezra Boyle (Daniel Cosgrove) waiting to take her place, Laura must do the right thing by holding onto her position and proving she is the leader Port Charles needs.

2) Brokering peace for the youth

Laura plays a safe space for the younger generation | Image: ABC

Port Charles is plagued by dangerous individuals who want to take over the town for their own advantage. This creates conflict and violence throughout the community, disrupting any sense of peace. Laura wants to build a safer, more peaceful town for the next generation.

As the grandmother of Rocco, Charlotte, Aiden, and Ace, Laura is deeply concerned about the environment in which the children are being raised. Beyond her own grandchildren, she also has a soft spot for many of Port Charles' younger residents, including Emma, Josslyn, Gio, Danny, and others. Laura considers it her personal mission to create a better future for the town's youth.

3) Keeping mob clashes at bay

Laura confronts mobster Sidwell | Image: ABC

Port Charles is plagued by mob wars as various players fight for supremacy in the town. Over the years, the city has seen numerous crime families, including the Jeromes and the Zaccharas, battle for control of the illegal underworld. Those conflicts have fueled violence and disrupted the town's sense of peace.

Through her friendship and association with Sonny, the town's longtime mob boss, Laura has managed to keep even more dangerous players at bay. Since Sonny has often acted in the best interests of the community and the hospital, Laura has tolerated his presence. However, she is quick to move against any other criminal operator who threatens the safety of Port Charles.

4) Taming power players

Laura collaborates with the PCPD officials | Image: ABC

Besides the mob world mentioned in the previous argument, Port Charles has also seen other players try to throw their weight around. From power-hungry politicians like Drew Cain (Cameron Mathison) and the crafty Cassadine family to powerful international organizations like the WSB and the Pikeman Group, many have attempted to wield influence over the town.

However, since all of these players act for their own benefit rather than the greater good of Port Charles, Laura has consistently pushed back against them. She has never intentionally cooperated with any of these individuals or organizations for personal gain. On the contrary, she has worked to keep them in check. Her own history with the Cassadine family has also played a significant role in shaping her approach. As such, she actively collaborates with the PCPD and the DA's office to protect the town.

5) Navigating political sabotage

The Mayor befriended her rival Ezra as a political strategy | Image: ABC

Viewers have seen Jenz Sidwell (Carlo Rota) trying to orchestrate Laura's political downfall. On one hand, he tried to position Ezra as a candidate, while on the other, he launched the Measure C campaign in an attempt to tarnish Laura's connection to Sonny, a mob boss. Incidentally, Measure C also garnered support from Sonny's longtime critics, including Tracy Quartermaine (Jane Elliot).

However, Laura handled the situation smartly by publicly distancing herself from Sonny while continuing to promote her political agenda. She even secretly collaborated with Jordan Ashford (Tanisha Harper) on Jordan's plan to infiltrate Sidwell's operation. Laura befriended her rival Ezra and enlisted Lucas Jones (Van Hansis) to lure Sidwell into committing an open criminal act. While aware of the cold fusion project, Laura is buying time to develop the right strategy to prevent further harm to her family, friends, and the people of Port Charles.