A rematch is brewing in Rep. Amen Brown’s West Philly district

A primary battle for a West Philly state House seat is shaping up to be Brown vs. Green vs. Purple. Again.

At least two primary challengers intend to take on State Rep. Amen Brown, a two-term Democrat and unsuccessful mayoral candidate who represents the city’s 10th legislative district. Both challengers — progressive Cass Green and community activist Sajda “Purple” Blackwell — are running for the second time.

But much has changed since the 2022 primary, when Brown nearly got kicked off the ballot for failing to disclose debts, then narrowly edged out Green, winning reelection by fewer than 200 votes.

Last year, Brown ran a failed bid for mayor — he also had to fight to stay on that ballot — and won less than 2% of the vote citywide.

Brown’s candidacy initially drew buzz. He was running with a tough-on-crime platform during a wave of gun violence and, in a literal smoke-filled room, a group of wealthy benefactors signaled they’d support his bid.

But despite rumors of a $5 million super PAC, none ever materialized. And many questioned if Brown was ready for prime time.

He became the talk of Philly’s political scene for days after his campaign launch because he sat down for an interview with Fox 29′s Jeff Cole and didn’t know the size of the city budget. The following month, an Inquirer review found that Brown’s business and real estate dealings had been mired in repeated accusations of impropriety, and that he didn’t disclose his creditors and financial interests as legally required.

Now, the battle in his 10th District — which includes Mantua, Powelton, and parts of University City and Logan Square — is likely to be one of the most closely watched Pennsylvania House races in the city this spring.

In a statement, Brown said he has “respect for the Democratic process and individuals have the right to run for office.”

“My work isn’t driven by personal or political motivation — it’s driven [by] the people,” he said. “I started my political journey wanting to restore and build upon my community and still stand on that today and look forward to this year’s election.”

Green, a community activist, is likely to draw support from progressive organizations that have targeted Brown because of his positions in favor of charter school expansion and mandatory minimum sentences.

“The residents of the tenth district are ready to embrace change,” she said. “They especially deserve representation with a track record of meeting people where they are, not using them as a stepping stone or a prop for self-promotion.”

Meanwhile, Blackwell hails from the storied West Philly political family and her husband, Thomas W. Blackwell VI, is the grandson of the late U.S. Rep. Lucien Blackwell. Sajda Blackwell is likely to receive support from some current and former elected officials, and Clout noticed that Sheriff Rochelle Bilal was at her campaign launch.

“Our neighbors are coming to me with true concerns,” Blackwell said, “because they’ve gotten deaf ears. They’ve gotten, ‘I’m busy, I’m running for mayor.’”

Brown has surprised his opponents before, and has raised plenty of dough in the past from developers and groups in favor of private school vouchers.

We’ll see what materializes for him this time around.

Clout provides often irreverent news and analysis about people, power, and politics.