PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The race to be the Democratic nominee for mayor is down to nine candidates. After seven months on the campaign trail, former City Councilmember Derek Green has dropped out of the race.
With the primary election just five weeks away, Green said, he had to face a hard reality.
“After looking at the race and the amount of resources that are needed, I made the decision I would resign from the campaign,” he said.
“It was a challenging decision, but I ran a campaign based on issues that are important to citizens of Philadelphia: poverty, education — and the No. 1 issue of public safety.”
He said he is “concerned yet resolutely hopeful” about the city’s future and believes the next mayor must govern with “empathy and a resolve never to give up.”
Green raised just over $600,000 — far less than the best-funded candidates. By comparison, former City Councilmember Allan Domb has raised more than $8 million, including $7 million of his own money.
Domb and candidate Jeff Brown are spending millions on broadcast ads, which Green says he finds troubling.
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“I’m definitely concerned, as someone who sponsored legislation for public financing of campaigns,” Green said.
As a Council member, he also explored ranked choice voting — something else that would have leveled the playing field for candidates.
Neither effort succeeded.
Green resigned from City Council and announced his candidacy in September 2022, but like his colleague Maria Quiñones Sánchez, he was unable to raise the campaign funds to compete with the leading contenders.
Green’s departure may help Cherelle Parker, who shares the same voting base in Northwest Philadelphia, but Green did not immediately endorse another candidate and said he wasn’t sure what he would do next.
“Everything is on the table. I’m looking forward to being a citizen, which is the highest role someone can have.”
The primary election is May 16.