Mayor Kenney announces re-election bid
Kenney’s announcement does not come as a surprise. Thus far, just one Democratic challenger has declared his candidacy - former city controller Alan Butkovitz.
Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney officially announced his bid for a second term on Sunday via an announcement video posted on Twitter.
Kenney spends more than half of his two-minute video discussing education, clearly signaling the issue will be a centerpiece of his campaign.
The mayor stresses first-term accomplishments in the video, including the increase in funding for schools and the city regaining local control of its schools under his watch.
He later touts his economic record, highlighting the recent legislation that will increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2022.
It's been my honor to serve the people of Philadelphia -- and I'm excited to announce that I'm running for reelection!
— Jim Kenney (@JimFKenney) February 10, 2019
Philadelphia has made tremendous progress we can be proud of, but there's more work to do to ensure that all of our citizens can thrive. #TeamKenney. pic.twitter.com/K0mmO143IJ
Absent from the announcement video was any mention of the controversial soda tax, which any Kenney challenger will surely hope to make a central campaign theme.
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Also of issue to Kenney in the lead-up to the May 21 primary elections will be the recent indictment of local union boss John “Johnny Doc” Dougherty.
Head of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 98 union, Dougherty was a major donor to Kenney’s first bid for mayor, and a childhood friend of Kenney’s, as well.
Kenney has denied any knowledge of the alleged wrongdoing, but his proximity to Dougherty could still prove to hang over him, as well as affect his reelection campaign’s funding, as the Inquirer notes.
Still, Kenney’s announcement does not come as a surprise. Thus far, just one Democratic challenger has declared his candidacy - former city controller Alan Butkovitz.
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