A former Philadelphia city council member is well on her way to becoming the city’s first Black woman mayor after she clinched the Democratic mayoral primary Tuesday.
Votes for Cherelle Parker outnumbered Republicans 7-to-1, which puts the nominee in a good position to win the election, reports indicate. In a tweet, Parker thanked supporters for their unwavering commitment to push her closer to winning the race.
“I’m so incredibly honored to have earned the Democratic nomination tonight,” Parker tweeted. “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.”
The mayoral candidate will now face Republican opponent David Oh in the Nov. 7 general election.
“It’s really exciting because it’s another glass ceiling that’s broken. Women and Black women especially have always been underappreciated,” Catherine Hicks, NAACP president of the Philadelphia chapter told WHYY.
A Philadelphia native, Parker attended public schools in the city before being awarded both a bachelor’s and master’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania.
She would later serve as a state representative for Philadelphia for 10 years, becoming the youngest Black woman to be appointed to the State Legislature. In 2015, she won votes to become a member of the city council, where she pushed for equal rights and public safety for thousands of citizens.
She should win the election, Parker has vowed to hire 300 more foot and bike patrol officers to cover the city and fill vacancies within the police department, according to her website. She also wants to invest in cleaner communities, fix broken streetlights in an attempt to enhance public safety and provide more civic engagement activities to fight crime.
Furthermore, she says she will work to create more economic opportunities for the people of Philadelphia and focus on reducing the city’s carbon footprint. Former Mayors Michael Nutter and John Street have endorsed Parker as well as former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell.
