Mayor Cherelle Parker declined to second-guess Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign or the Democratic Party’s strategy after former President Donald Trump carried Pennsylvania en route to an Election Day victory.
Parker, who took office in January, also indicated that she would not be deterred in pursuing her priorities, though she said she was “not sure” how her administration’s relationship with the federal government would change with Trump in the White House.
Harris received about 51,000 fewer votes in Philadelphia than President Joe Biden did four years ago, and her ballot total also trailed Hillary Clinton’s 2016 haul in the city, according to unofficial state results.
Trump’s share of the tally, along with his raw number of votes, has grown in Philadelphia in each of the past three presidential elections. About 20% of city voters selected him this year, up from 15% in 2016.
Turnout in Philadelphia, long a Democratic Party stronghold, also appears to have slipped. Preliminary data from the City Commissioners indicates 63.5% of registered voters cast ballots this year, down from 66.3% in 2020.
The mayor often campaigned with Harris during the vice president’s stops in Philadelphia, which became more frequent in the weeks leading up to the Nov. 5 election.
“I’m not here to Monday morning quarterback,” Parker said. “I’ll let the experts and the political pundits do that.”
Parker was surrounded by top officials in her administration, alongside School District of Philadelphia Superintendent Tony Watlington Sr. and City Councilmember Jim Harrity, as she spoke about the results of the election during a news conference Thursday afternoon outside City Hall.
“We are laser-focused on the work ahead of us today, next week, next month, next year and beyond,” the mayor said.
She reiterated many of her campaign slogans – among them, creating a “government that people can see, touch and feel” and making Philadelphia “the safest, cleanest, greenest big city in the nation, with access to economic opportunity for all.”
“No election in the world – I don’t care what the results are,” Parker added. “No election would change our focus on our commitment to getting those things done for you.”
The mayor has frequently discussed her “intergovernmental approach” and has spoken with pride about the Biden-Harris administration’s support. Since January, about $1 billion in federal funding has been allocated to various projects in Philadelphia, she said.
Parker refrained from speculating on how Trump’s presidency could impact Philadelphia; however, she referred to the administration’s top attorney, Renee Garcia, as “the best city solicitor in the nation.”
“Let’s let Philadelphia stay focused on doing what Philadelphia is supposed to do,” she added. “Our people are looking for us to deliver, and that’s what I intend on continuing to do.”
