Kenney Routs Field for Mayoral Nomination

Democrat James F. Kenney proved why all the experts had predicted his victory in the primary election Tuesday by earning a landslide victory against a crowded field of candidates, according to Philly.com.

The former city councilman almost double the amount of votes compared to his closest rival, State Sen. Anthony Hardy Williams. The remaining ballot included former District Attorney Lynne M. Abraham, former Common Pleas Judge Nelson A. Diaz, former PGW executive Doug Oliver and former State Sen. T. Milton Street.

Kenney will face Republican nominee Melissa Murray Bailey, who ran unopposed in Tuesday’s primary. A Republican has not been mayor of Philadelphia since Bernard Samuel’s term ended in 1952. Philly.com says Kenney may also face a challenge from independent candidate Bill Green, a member of the Philadelphia school reform commission.

In the at-large city council race, Democrats chose Allan Domb, Helen Gym and Derek Green to run alongside incumbents Blondell Reynolds Brown and Bill Greenlee to run for seven open seats. Republicans nominated incumbents David Oh and Dennis O’Brien to join Terry Tracy, Dan Tinney and Al Taubenberger for the general election race. In Philadelphia, the minority party will fill two of the seven seats up for grabs.

(Photo from Jim Kenney for Mayor Flickr page)