Dougherty out, Brady in for race

A year ago, seven names were in the mix for Philadelphia's next mayor.

Now, it's down to the "Fab Five."

Union leader John Dougherty bowed out of the race yesterday, while U.S. Rep. Bob Brady (D-Pa.) said he will officially declare his candidacy tomorrow.

With these two announcements, the field seems to be set for a highly contentious Democratic primary in May, the outcome of which will likely decide the next mayor of Philadelphia.

The Republican party is not expected to field a viable candidate for the general election.

Brady joins the four other declared Democrats: former Councilman Michael Nutter, U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah (D-Pa.), businessman Tom Knox and state Rep. Dwight Evans.

The seventh prospective candidate, former city controller Jonathan Saidel, dropped out in December.

In quitting the race, Dougherty cited family issues, especially his mother's poor health, in a statement released by his union, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 98.

He added, however, that he wasn't ruling out a future in Philadelphia and state politics.

"I am the youngest person in this current crop of candidates. I am not going anywhere . [and] remain very interested in the challenge of leading this great city in the future and look to the year 2011 and beyond," he said.

Larry Ceisler, a friend of Dougherty and marketing consultant for his union, confirmed Dougherty's sentiments.

"If he ran for mayor, he'd want to give it 110 percent," Ceisler said.

But while personal concerns can't be discounted, Brady's decision to run may have been the deciding factor for Dougherty, said Randall Miller, a history professor at Saint Joseph's University.

"The prospects got dimmer and dimmer real fast" for Dougherty after Brady decided to announce his candidacy, he said, especially because Brady, chairman of the city Democratic Party for the past 20 years, has the loyalty of local ward leaders and political figures.

Ceisler chalked up the timing to Dougherty's desire to be "transparent" and to enable his supporters to throw their weight behind the other declared candidates.

According to the statement, Dougherty and his union are waiting before endorsing a particular candidate.

A spokesman for Dougherty's union couldn't be reached for further comment.

As for Brady, the Congressman will enter the race Thursday evening in an event at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, according to a Monday press release.

Though Brady spokeswoman Andi Pringle declined to comment on specifics of his campaign platform, the press release said that he would lay out a comprehensive agenda on dealing with crime, the city economy and improving public schools.

In addition to representing the eastern half of the city in Congress since 1998, Brady's leadership of the city party organization has given him a "track record of bringing people together" that makes him "a formidable candidate," said Kevin Feeley, a former adviser to Gov. Ed Rendell.

And those same connections that may have influenced Dougherty to drop out could be Brady's x-factor.

"In one sense, he's got the biggest army," with the weight of the Democratic machine behind him, Miller said.

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