Lynne Abraham presented herself as a proven leader, independent of special interest influence, who will bridge the “disconnect” between Philadelphia’s centralized administration and the city’s outlying neighborhoods.
Anthony Hardy Williams described himself as a “neighborhood” guy whose personal experiences growing up in Southwest Philly as the son of a school teacher and an attorney — who also happened to serve 12 years in the state House followed by 15 years in the state Senate — give him a keen understanding of working-class folks in the Northeast.
As for Melissa Murray Bailey, her first priority during the Mayfair Civic Association’s candidates night on March 16 had to be getting some name recognition.
All three mayoral hopefuls each got two minutes of facetime. But then, so did about 30 other candidates for a variety of municipal offices including council, sheriff, commissioner, register of wills, Common Pleas Court judge and Municipal Court judge. The primary election will be on May 19.
Bailey was the first of the mayoral candidates to speak.
“I am not a politician,” said Bailey, the would-be Republican nominee.
Some might say she’s barely even a Republican. According to published reports, Bailey was a registered Democrat until switching parties in late January in preparation for her campaign. A South Jersey native, Bailey has lived in Society Hill for about three years. She works as a home-based executive in the human resources industry. Bailey, 36, said she paid her way through college by working as a waitress, bartender and babysitter.
Bailey said she has the same concerns that other young parents do. She wants to be able to send her daughter to public school and to her local playground and be confident that the child will be safe.
Williams and Abraham are vying among a crowded Democratic field, which also includes Jim Kenney, Nelson Diaz, Doug Oliver and Milton Street. All are very recognizable figures in city politics.
Williams succeeded his father as a state senator in 1999. Abraham served as district attorney from 1991 to 2010. Kenney served 23 years in City Council before resigning to run for mayor. Diaz was city solicitor for two years under Mayor John Street. Oliver is Mayor Michael Nutter’s former public spokesman. Milton Street, the former mayor’s older brother, served in the state House and Senate in the 1970s and ’80s and has continued to make headlines over the years as an outspoken and frequent, yet unsuccessful, candidate for elected office.
Williams said that “it’s hard to be a mayor” of a city with so many competing political and interest groups. He believes he can bring opposing sides together, much like he championed tax increase legislation through a Republican-majority state legislature. The measures were meant to fund the city’s struggling public schools.
“Schools are a problem whatever neighborhood you come from,” Williams said.
Abraham also latched onto the neighborhood theme.
“This election is about working in the present for the future. The election is going to be about leadership,” she said, adding later, “Nobody owns me. I won’t take money from groups who are unacceptable. I work for you.”
Many at-large candidates for City Council also took time to visit Mayfair. Northeast incumbent Democrat Ed Neilson is seeking reelection, while Northeast High grad and former Reading Terminal Market GM Paul Steinke is a Democrat challenger. Longtime Greater Northeast Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce President Al Taubenberger seeks a Republican nomination.
In the primary, voters will choose five nominees from each party. In November’s general election, the top seven vote-getters will win seats. So at least two Republicans will take office.
Republican incumbent David Oh and challengers Terry Tracy and Matt Wolfe also addressed the civic group, as did Democrat challengers Derek Green and Sherrie Cohen.
Lisa Deeley, a former aide to City Controller Alan Butkovitz and Councilman Bobby Henon, is running for commissioner. She and fellow Democrats Omar Sabir and Dennis Lee spoke at the Mayfair forum. Lee’s candidacy came to an abrupt halt early this week when a judge removed him from the ballot due to errors on Lee’s financial disclosure form and nominating petitions.
Former Mayfair resident Christopher Sawyer, a Republican, asked his old neighbors to support his bid for sheriff. ••
