PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A jubilant crowd cheered on Cherelle Parker’s victory Tuesday night, but Parker herself was not among them. She was being treated at the University of Pennsylvania for a dental emergency.
Parker was declared the Democratic nominee for Philadelphia mayor and will face Republican David Oh in the general election in November. Oh ran unopposed.
Supporters cheered when the race was called just after 11 p.m., and they were even undaunted by the news that she would not make a victory speech.
Instead, Parker said in a tweet, “I’m so incredibly honored to have earned the Democratic nomination tonight. It’s been a long road, and to see the tireless work of my campaign team, supporters, and family pay off is humbling. I’m looking forward to November and bringing our city together as its 100th mayor.”
In a race that polls found too close to call, she pulled out front early and maintained a 10-plus-point lead throughout the night.
Her former colleague and competitor Derek Green said it was easy to see what happened.
“There were a lot of undecided voters and a lot of them were African American women, and when they got in the poll booth, they voted for Cherelle Parker,” he said. He also credited her promise to improve public safety with more police and a revival of what she calls constitutional stop-and-frisk.
While Parker couldn’t be there, her mentor, former City Councilmember Marian Tasco, was. She said Parker needed no advice in running her campaign.
“She’s very smart and she knows how to work with people,” said Tasco. “I didn’t have to tell her anything!”
Several other former City Council colleagues skipped victory parties of their own to attend Parker’s, including Mark Squilla and Katherine Gilmore Richardson.
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Given the city’s Democratic registration edge — a 7-1 margin — Parker will likely be the first female mayor in Philadelphia history. Support from Parker’s former colleagues bodes well for her relationship with City Council — the most important one for any mayor.
“I am so excited about this opportunity to have the first Black woman mayor in the history of the City of Philadelphia,” said Gilmore Richardson.
Wednesday morning, Parker’s team said she is feeling “much better” after her dental procedure. Her campaign said in a statement:
“Cherelle Parker left the hospital last night after receiving treatment for a dental issue that required immediate medical attention. Cherelle is resting at home and grateful for all the well wishes, thoughts and prayers she received. She hopes to be back out talking to Philadelphians and with press availability in the very near future. We will continue to update daily.”