Philadelphia voters are determining who will likely lead the nation’s sixth-largest city in a crowded field of Democratic candidates on Tuesday, as the city grapples with spikes in gun violence and quality-of-life issues that make people feel insecure
Five front-runners, including former city council members, former city officials and a grocery store franchisor, have tried to set themselves apart in a tight contest.
The race in Philadelphia serves as the latest barometer of how residents of some of the nation’s largest cities hope to emerge from the pandemic, which has raised concerns about crime, poverty and inequality. The results have sometimes been tumultuous in other parts of the country, leading to the defeat of Chicago’s mayor in February and the impeachment of San Francisco’s district attorney last year.
Philadelphia voters will choose from favorites including former council members Allan Domb, Helen Gym and Cherelle Parker; former City Controller Rebecca Rhynhart; and political outsider and grocer Jeff Brown. They are vying to replace Democratic Mayor Jim Kenney, who is term-limited.
Only one Republican, former City Councilman David Oh, is running. He and the Democratic nominee will face off in the Nov. 7 general election. Since Philadelphia is heavily Democratic, whoever wins the primary is likely to become the next mayor.
The candidates have pledged to tackle the city’s violence and crime and address rampant quality-of-life issues, but how they plan to get there varies. The candidate who is able to rally his base and appeal to the widest cross-section of voters will ultimately tip the scales in a close contest.
Voters on Tuesday will also choose seven of more than 30 total Democratic and Republican candidates for city council seats and three contested district seats.
To the west, voters in Allegheny County, which includes the state’s second-largest city, Pittsburgh, will choose from six Democratic candidates vying to replace the county’s top official, who is term-limited. The winner will face a single Republican candidate in the November general election. Unlike Philadelphia’s mayoral race, the primary winner won’t necessarily be the person most likely to fill the county executive seat.
