PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Two members of City Council announced their resignations Tuesday to launch their campaigns for mayor of Philadelphia.
Councilmembers Maria Quiñones Sánchez and Derek Green are the first from Council to formally announce a mayoral run, though fellow Councilmember Allan Domb resigned last month, likely to also run for office.
Quiñones Sánchez shared the news on social media: “I’m resigning from City Council to run for Mayor of Philadelphia. I am a child of Philadelphia public housing, a lifelong activist, and Philadelphia’s first Latina district Councilwoman.”
She has represented the 7th Council District in North Philadelphia for the last 14 years. She moved to Philadelphia from Puerto Rico as a baby and grew up in Hunting Park. She became the first Puerto Rican woman elected to City Council in 2007.
“After 30-plus years in community service, having served as an executive in the past, and in the last 15 years, when I look at where we are as a city, I believe someone with my background, my experience, my track record is what we need in the mayor‘s office,” she said.
Quiñones Sánchez added that she was limited as a Council member to help the underserved in communities like Kensington, and would like to do more.
“One of the things I have learned is, that unless there is leadership with a comprehensive plan, you end up in a situation like Kensington where there is a lot of money, but a lot of bad policy that doesn’t improve the quality of life and it really traps poor Black and brown people,” she said.
“That is one of the reasons why I am running. I have done everything I can do as a Councilperson realizing that the mayor, and the authority that the mayor has, is really the only person that can change the trajectory of Kensington.“
If elected, Quiñones Sánchez would be the first woman and the first woman of color to serve as mayor of Philadelphia.
Green, a former prosecutor, attorney and small businessman, was elected to City Council at-large in 2015. He will formally announce his campaign at a press conference Wednesday in West Philadelphia, though he already changed his Twitter bio to “candidate for PHL Mayor.”
“People in the City of Philadelphia should expect more and deserve better from our city, and we’ve got to address the gun violence in the city. I believe I have a vision to do that, to enable people to put down a gun and pick up a paycheck,” said Green.
“When you look at all of the advanced issues that we have as a city, my background and experience set me apart from all of the other candidates running for mayor."
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In a statement released Tuesday, Council President Darrell Clarke touted the councilmembers' public service, calling them thoughtful and hard-working. He said he looks “forward to continuing to work with both ... to benefit every Philadelphian.”
Philadelphia law requires candidates to resign their seats to run for another office.
Democratic Mayor Jim Kenney cannot seek reelection as he has reached his two-term limit.
The Democratic primary election is May 16, 2023.