Cherelle Parker, a Democrat who has held office at the state and local level after first becoming involved in politics as a teenager, was elected Tuesday as Philadelphia’s 100th mayor, becoming the first woman to hold the post.
Parker, 51, emerged from a crowded field of Democrats in the May primary and was heavily favored over Republican David Oh in the city, a Democratic stronghold. She will replace Democrat Jim Kenney, who was ineligible for reelection due to term limits.
She campaigned on a promise to make Philadelphia the “safest, cleanest, greenest big city in the nation that will provide access to economic opportunity for all.”
Parker, who served for 10 years as a state representative for northwest Philadelphia before her election to the city council in 2015, touted herself as a leader whose government experience would allow her to address gaping problems in the city.
“We can’t solve these problems alone,” she said in a previous interview. “We need federal, state and local government, along with the private sector and philanthropic communities, to help us address the public health and safety.”
Parker’s moderate message resonated with voters who are increasingly worried about public safety as well as quality-of-life issues, from faulty streetlights to potholes to trash collection.
“We will have a police department that is supported by the mayor that is the best, well-trained and is proactively engaged and woven into the fabric of our communities, along with mental health and behavioral health supports, along with social and human services and connection to employment opportunities and workforce development address and quality of life issues,” she said.
At Parker’s election night watch party, supporters hugged in celebration. Among them was Carolyn Mosley, 57, who said her main concerns going into the election were crime and taxes.
After meeting Parker at a church event earlier this year, she was “100% sold,” she said: “I believe that she can effectively change Philadelphia.”
“Her story reminds me of my story,” said Mosley, who is also a Black woman. “And I can see girls can emulate her.”
Associated Press video journalist Tassanee Vejpongsa in Philadelphia contributed to this report.
