Broad Street Brief: A Rundown of Philadelphia’s Potential Mayoral Candidates

July 1, 2022

City Hall

A Rundown of Philadelphia’s Potential Mayoral Candidates

In 2023, the city of Philadelphia will elect its 100th mayor. Because of the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter’s resign-to-run rule — which requires that any city employee or officer who intends to run for office resign their position prior to announcing his or her candidacy — if every one of the rumored candidates decides to run for mayor, there could be as many as five vacancies on City Council, which could lead to significant changes in City Hall even sooner than the historic election. Here is a rundown of all rumored candidates listed in alphabetical order:

Jeff Brown

Jeff Brown is the owner and operator of multiple ShopRite and Fresh Grocer stores in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Known primarily for his vocal opposition to Mayor Kenney’s soda tax, Brown’s top priorities in his current role have been combating the issue of food insecurity and hiring formerly incarcerated people.

Councilmember At-Large Allan Domb

Allan Domb first arrived at City Council after decades of experience in real estate — earning him renown as Philadelphia’s “Condo King.” Now in his second term, his primary areas of focus as a councilmember have been increasing job opportunities and attracting businesses to Philadelphia, fiscal responsibility for city government, and public safety.

Councilmember At-Large Derek Green 

Derek Green is notable for having received the highest number of votes cast in the 2015 Democratic primary election when he first ran for City Council. Currently in his second term, Councilmember Green is best known for pushing for local election and campaign finance reform, and leading the charge for a public bank. Prior roles have included special counsel to Councilmember Marian Tasco, assistant district attorney in Philadelphia, and assistant deputy attorney general for the state of Delaware.

Councilmember At-Large Helen Gym

Helen Gym made history as the first Asian American woman elected to Philadelphia City Council, and received more votes than any other council candidate in the 2019 Democratic primary election. She is currently serving her second term, and she is widely known for being a progressive voice in City Council, who focuses on education, economic justice, and tenants’ rights. Prior to serving on City Council, she worked as a teacher and co-founded the Philadelphia Public School Notebook (now Chalkbeat).

Councilmember Cherelle Parker

Cherelle Parker is the City Councilmember for the 9th district. She is currently serving her second term. Her primary focus in City Council has been investing in public safety, neighborhood development, and quality-of-life improvements throughout Philadelphia. Prior to serving on City Council, she worked for Councilmember Marian B. Tasco and was the youngest African American woman to be elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.

City Controller Rebecca Rhynhart

Rebecca Rhynhart currently serves as Philadelphia City controller and is the first woman to hold the position. Her primary focus as controller has been to improve financial management and reporting in city government. She worked in Philadelphia city government for nearly a decade before running for her current office. Prior to joining city government, Rebecca worked on Wall Street as a director at Fitch Ratings and a managing director at Bear Stearns & Company.

Councilmember Maria Quiñones-Sánchez

Maria Quiñones-Sánchez has held her position as the councilmember for the 7th district since 2008, when she made history as the first Latina ever to hold elected office in Philadelphia. She is currently serving her fourth term and currently serves as the City Council Appropriations chair. Her primary focus as a councilmember has been housing policy and neighborhood economic development.

Philadelphia 250 Announces 11 “Leave a Legacy” Grant Semifinalists

In preparation for the nation’s upcoming semiquincentennial in 2026, Philadelphia 250 — the local nonprofit responsible for planning the city’s historic birthday — announced 11 community-focused organizations as semifinalists for its “Leave a Legacy” grant competition. Each organization will receive $11,000 in funding to create a commemorative project to celebrate the momentous milestone for the city and the nation. Four finalist projects will be chosen in December.

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