Background In
2019, incumbent Mayor
Jim Kenney was re-elected to his second and final term. Polling in March 2022 showed Kenney with a 55% approval rating among Philadelphia Democrats, while an equal percentage said the city was moving in the wrong direction. Gun violence and public safety were top issues in the election. While Philadelphia saw 8% fewer homicides in 2022 than in 2021, the city recorded more than 500 homicides for the second year in a row. After a shooting at the city's July 4 celebration, Mayor Kenney told reporters he will "be happy" when he is no longer mayor, prompting
City Council members
Derek S. Green and
Allan Domb to call for his resignation. In August 2022, Allan Domb resigned from City Council ahead of an expected run for mayor but did not announce his candidacy until November of that year. In September, Derek Green,
Maria Quiñones-Sánchez, and
Cherelle Parker also resigned from City Council and announced their candidacies. City Controller
Rebecca Rhynhart joined the race in October, followed by
ShopRite retailer Jeff Brown and City Council member
Helen Gym in November.
State Representative Amen Brown announced his campaign in December.
Candidates Nominee Eliminated in primary Other declared candidates • Delscia Gray
Withdrew •
Derek S. Green, At-large
Philadelphia City Councilmember (2016–2022)
(endorsed Parker) •
Maria Quiñones-Sánchez,
Philadelphia City Councilmember for the 7th district (2008–2022) • John Wood, former
Philadelphia police lieutenant and
U.S. Marine Corps veteran
Did not qualify • Joseph Anthony Tartaglia
Declined •
Cindy Bass,
Philadelphia City Councilmember from the 8th district (2012–present)
(running for re-election) •
Howard Eskin, sports radio personality on
94.1 WIP •
Vincent Hughes,
Pennsylvania state senator from the
7th district (1994–present) •
Keith Leaphart, entrepreneur, philanthropist, physician and Executive on Loan to the city of Philadelphia (2007) •
Michael Nutter,
Mayor of Philadelphia (2008–2016)
(endorsed Rhynhart) Campaign In November 2022,
The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that former city councilmember
Cherelle Parker had the "competitive advantage as the race gets underway."
The Inquirer credited her "competitive advantage" to her close ties to labor unions in Philadelphia and her role as the Democratic leader of Northwest Philadelphia's 50th Ward, which is home to older middle-class Black voters, who boast some of the highest voter turnout. This coincided with Brown receiving endorsements from some of Philadelphia's most powerful labor unions including the chapters of the
American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees,
Transport Workers Union of America and
United Food and Commercial Workers. Campaign finance reports, released in early April, showed Allan Domb and Jeff Brown as having raised the most money of the candidates. The report showed that Domb had raised $2.6 million, with a $2 million being self-financed. In comparison, Brown raised $2 million with $800,000 being self-financed. Longtime city councilmember
Maria Quiñones-Sánchez was originally a candidate, but withdrew on April 10, citing an "obnoxious, obscene amount of money that is shaping the race." The Board of Ethics investigation found an "extensive and elaborate scheme to circumvent the city's campaign contribution limits."
Debates Endorsements Polling Graphical summary Fundraising Results Results by Ward == Republican primary ==