Philadelphia Democratic leaders – in the hours and days following President Joe Biden’s decision not to seek reelection – mobilized quickly to promote Kamala Harris, the party’s presumptive nominee.
Biden threw his support behind his vice president when he dropped out of the race Monday, and she has since received the backing of both the state and local Democratic establishments.
At least 11 state lawmakers representing Philadelphia and nine City Council members have endorsed Harris, according to a list compiled by the Pennsylvania Democratic Party.
“There is a tremendous amount of excitement in seeing Vice President Kamala Harris become the nominee of the Democratic Party,” Pennsylvania party chair and state Sen. Sharif Street said, citing her fledgling campaign’s strong fundraising numbers.
Mayor Cherelle Parker, in a statement, said she has gotten to know and work with Harris since the 2020 election. Harris “understands that cities like Philadelphia are the backbone of our country,” Parker added.
“She is one of us: an HBCU grad, a member of the Divine 9, committed to her family and still a Boss,” the mayor continued. “And, someone who knows Philadelphia.”
The Philadelphia Federation of Teachers has pledged support for Harris. And the city’s Building Trades Council, a powerful group of construction-related labor unions that helped propel Parker’s mayoral run, is planning a rally for her campaign Friday.
Harris’s campaign is holding a series of canvassing events this weekend in the city, with supporters planning to knock on doors in Fishtown, Brewerytown, South Philadelphia, Germantown and other neighborhoods.
Turning out voters in Democratic-heavy Philadelphia may be key to the party’s success in Pennsylvania, which is again expected to be a major swing state in November. Registered Democrats outnumber Republicans 7-1 the city, and almost all of Philadelphia’s elected representatives are members of the party.
In that vein, a few elected officials, including state House Speaker Joanna McClinton and Councilmember Isaiah Thomas, have suggested Harris pick Gov. Josh Shapiro as her running mate. Shapiro is reportedly among a list of candidates under consideration.
Longtime Philadelphia Democratic Party chair and former Congressman Bob Brady said on X, formerly known as Twitter, that the governor’s “‘Get Sh*t Done’ work ethic and bipartisan record are exactly what America needs.”
Harris had not made her vice president pick at the time Metro went to print Tuesday.
Shapiro, of Montgomery County, endorsed Harris on Sunday evening, about four hours after Biden said he was leaving the race. That quashed rumors that Shapiro himself would vie for the party’s nomination.
“The best path forward for the Democratic Party is to quickly unite behind Vice President Harris and refocus on winning the presidency,” he said in a statement.
Nationally, Biden delegates have coalesced around Harris, and she appears to have enough votes to secure the nomination, according to the Associated Press. All 185 members of Pennsylvania’s delegation voted Monday to back the vice president, party officials said.
“Although it is highly unusual for the presumptive nominee of a major political party to withdraw from the presidential race, our institutions are prepared for this,” said Lauren Cristella, president and CEO of the nonprofit Committee of Seventy, an independent advocate for better government, in a statement.
Democratic delegates, chosen in Pennsylvania during the April primary, are expected to formally nominate a presidential candidate at the party’s convention next month or at an earlier, if a special meeting is called, Cristella said.
“While this process may look different, there’s still an opportunity to make your voice by contacting your state party leaders,” she added.
City and state election administrators have said Biden’s decision will have no impact on the voting process, as ballots are not finalized until after the political conventions.
