More than a year after U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah (D., Pa.) first said he might like to run for mayor, the possibility still dominates Philadelphia politics.
The surest sign: The long knives are out for him.
In recent weeks, a rival has begun a Web site devoted to attacking Fattah, and City Councilwoman Marian Tasco has introduced a bill to make "exploratory" candidates like Fattah live by city campaign-finance limits. Others, in a whispering campaign, have disparaged Fattah's work ethic in hopes of scaring off potential financial backing.
So far, Fattah hasn't fought back. But he's unamused by the gibes from some that running for mayor would interfere with his golf game.
"If it was true that I'd be a laid-back candidate, they wouldn't be reacting this way," Fattah said. "Criticism has always been a motivator for me."
It all began late last year, when top political aides to Mayor Street began pushing Fattah, an administration ally, as the one candidate who could unite the African American base of the Democratic Party.
But Fattah found himself in what is shaping up to be a crowded field in a primary that will not have an incumbent. Already, there are at least six other candidates making serious inquiries about running: Councilman Michael A. Nutter; State Rep. Dwight Evans; City Controller Jonathan Saidel; labor leader John Dougherty; Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell; and businessman Tom Knox.
"Everywhere he turns, he's finding out that running for mayor is not a cakewalk," said Democratic strategist Dan Fee, a former adviser to Gov. Rendell and Street. "No matter how many candidates are in the race, it's going to be a complete dogfight."
Fee supports Saidel in the 2007 sweepstakes, but his assessment is rooted in the bruising nature of the last two open mayoral races, in 1991 and 1999.
Is there even a GOP candidate out there?
Re: For Fattah, signs that he wants to be mayor
If there were a high-profile, viable GOPer, it would certainly do the city a valuable service. Katz seemed to have the resources, and perhaps but up the best showing for a city Republican possible (he pulled in a 35-40% share of the vote, as I recall – not sure?) It was almost a perfect storm for Katz, with the Street scandals hitting full force just prior to Election Day, and he couldn’t pull it off (granted, there were other factors – the registration edge and Street’s base rallying behind him, etc). Still, one asks – just what will it take? If New York City could elect Rudy Giuliani, surely Philadelphia (or Pittsburgh, for that matter) could conceivably elect an individual other than a Democrat to head municipal matters. In my home city of Pittsburgh, the stars seemed to be alligned for the city GOP – the Republican candidate for mayor actually put in an effort (meaning he actually went out and campagned) and the city party ran several impressive candidates for council. They all lost by historically standard margins (75-25). Granted, the Democrat (Bob O’Connor) was essentially mayor-in-waiting since 2001, and the council candidates were fairly low-profile. Still, one would think Republicans would be able to break through at some level in city races. For either Philly or Pgh mayor, I believe these ingridients will constitute a “viable” candidate (meaning, the Democrat actually breaks a sweat) – a Clinton-like personable nature, funding that either keeps pace or out-distances the Democrat, and a major issue to carry the candidate to victory. Plus, the Republican must make peace with core Democrat constituencies in major cities, namely unions and African-American communities, forcing them to either sit out the race or actually pull the lever for true change. If all that doesn’t work, urban Republicans truly don’t have a prayer.
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