Localities – 5/18/23

Colorado Springs:  New Mayor Elected:  Yemi Mobolade, the Independent candidate who was the city’s Small Business Development Administrator and a native of Nigeria, easily won the Colorado Springs mayoral runoff to succeed term-limited Mayor John Suthers (R).  Mr. Mobolade’s victory margin was 57-43%.  He defeated former Secretary of State Wayne Williams (R). 
 
Mr. Mobolade is an interesting candidate in that he grew up in a socialist country but emphasized business, community and leadership development, entrepreneurship, and ministry in his successful mayoral campaign. 
 
Jacksonville:  Former News Anchor Elected:   In a victory for Democrats on Tuesday night, converting a mayor’s office that had resided in Republican hands, former local news anchor Donna Deegan scored a 52-48% victory over Chamber of Commerce CEO Daniel Davis (R).  The media analysts tab the race as an upset since the Republicans held the Mayor’s office for the past eight years in the person of term-limited incumbent Lenny Curry, but Democrats considerably outnumber Republicans in voter registration within the city despite the latter party now having a 400,000+ person advantage statewide.
 
Philadelphia:  Race Not as Close as Predicted:   In the open Philadelphia Mayor’s race, a contest that polling consistently showed as many as five candidates had a chance to win the Democratic primary, the final result proved decisive.  Former Philadelphia City Councilwoman Cherelle Parker captured the party nomination in rather easy fashion, a 33-23-22-11-9% margin over former City Controller Rebecca Rhynhart, ex-City Councilmember Helen Gym, former City Councilman Allan Domb, and businessman Jeff Brown.  All of the candidates are “formers” because Philadelphia has a resign-to-run ordinance in effect for city officials. 
 
Ms. Parker campaigned as a centrist who said she wants to "stop the sense of lawlessness that is plaguing our city.”  She pushed the themes of increasing law enforcement and cracking down on the city’s rapidly rising crime rate.  Likely as a result, she attracted much of the Philadelphia political establishment’s support.  Term-limited Mayor Jim Kenney (D), while not endorsing anyone in the race, said he cast his own ballot for Ms. Parker.
 
Unfortunately, Ms. Parker was not at her victory party because she suffered what was termed a “dental emergency,” and was receiving treatment at the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center. 
 
The candidate attracting the most support from the vocal progressive left movement, including endorsements from Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) was Ms. Gym, but she fared poorly in the overall result. 
 
Before winning her City Council election in 2015, Ms. Parker served five terms in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.  She now advances to the general election to face former at-large City Councilman David Oh, who was unopposed for the Republican nomination.  In a city with a 7:1 Democratic majority, Ms. Parker will be a heavy favorite, but Mr. Oh, who has won three citywide elections, will bring forth a credible campaign.