After three rounds of debate, the Penn Democrats' choice for the next mayor of Philadelphia was clear:
Michael Nutter is their man.
Last night, the Penn Democrats chose to endorse the former city Councilman by a two-thirds majority.
A Wharton alumnus, Nutter is one of five candidates vying for the Democratic nomination, which will be decided May 16.
He has made a name for himself in city politics as a driving force behind the recent smoking ban, as well as a strong advocate for ethics reform in Philadelphia.
But for the Penn Dems, it was Nutter's willingness to show an interest in engaging college students that won them over.
Nutter has appeared on campus three times in the past 10 months to meet with students and the organization in particular - the most of any candidate, Wharton sophomore and club president Clayton Robinson said.
"A lot of members of this organization have seen Michael Nutter, and they've been very impressed," he said.
Nutter's stance on corruption, crime and economic issues also set him apart from the other candidates, Robinson added.
Now that the endorsement has been decided, Robinson said the Penn Dems will be at Nutter's disposal in the upcoming months.
They will likely be knocking on doors to secure votes in various areas of the city, he said.
"We will go wherever the campaign goes," he said.
Robinson added that the Penn Dems chose Nutter in part because of the larger role the organization would be able to play in his campaign compared to the other candidates'.
Nutter beat out fellow Democratic candidates Tom Knox, Chaka Fattah, Bob Brady and Dwight Evans for the endorsement.
But a different endorsement went to another candidate Friday, when the Democratic City Committee backed Brady as the party chairman.
It was the first time in more than three decades that the City Committee - made up of the Philadelphia's Democratic ward leaders - had endorsed a candidate in a contested primary.
But that's not to say that the Penn Dems' endorsement of Nutter will prove to be inconsequential.
Democratic political consultant Neil Oxman said the Penn Dems' greatest strength lies in the organization's ability to supply manpower for Nutter.
For the near future, the Penn Dems are planning a voter registration drive beginning today, Robinson said.
