Tracey Gordon had a rough tenure as Register of Wills. So why is she running for Congress?

The last time I sat down with Tracey Gordon, the Southwest Philly resident had just scored an upset in the 2019 Democratic primary for the Register of Wills, unseating incumbent Ronald R. Donatucci, who had served 10 terms in the office.

Like a whole lot of folks, I was stunned. Donatucci had held the office since 1980; when he lost, it felt like the end of an era.

I was genuinely excited to see a fresh face emerge from relative obscurity to take over one of the city’s “row offices,” as they are called. In the column, I even said she was one of my “sheroes” for having made history as the first African American and the first woman in the job.

So much has happened since then. Gordon won easily in the general election that November, but the next four years were momentous: the COVID-19 shutdown, during which her office stayed open, lawsuits by five employees who claimed they were fired after not contributing to her reelection campaign, and a report that she allowed her daughter to sell Eagles T-shirts in a conference room at City Hall, a no-no for an elected official. Gordon also raised eyebrows by hiring former State Rep. Vanessa Lowery Brown, who was forced to resign from office in 2018 after being convicted of taking bribes from a lobbyist.

But it wasn’t all bad: I’ll never forget how, during the shutdown, Gordon’s office came up with a virtual process to help couples obtain marriage licenses to “self-unite” in a Quaker wedding without an officiant present.

Gordon also created a plan to help teach Philly residents about the importance of estate planning and how to avoid “tangled titles” (properties stuck in limbo because they are in the name of someone who died). According to a 2021 study by the Pew Charitable Trust, more than 10,000 Philadelphia properties are in that situation.

Then, after just one term, estate attorney John Sabatina unseated her in the May primary, losing by roughly 3,500 votes.

Unsurprisingly, Gordon doesn’t discuss those employee lawsuits, “upon the advice of counsel.” She also brushes off criticisms about allowing her daughter to sell Eagles gear, likening it to how people sell their kids’ Girl Scout Cookies at work.

Also no surprise: She’s disappointed she lost her election, as it means she can no longer continue the work she did to help low- and middle-income residents get probate fees deferred and other legal assistance.

But for me, there has been one major shocker: Rather than retreating from public life, the 62-year-old grandmother has announced plans to run for higher office — specifically, Rep. Dwight Evans’ seat in Congress.

So recently, I reached out to her again.

When we caught up with each other, Gordon described her decision to run for office again as an outgrowth of the work she did in the Register of Wills office. “I am more effective as a public servant as opposed to a community activist,” she explained, adding that the only time people listen to you is when “you are in an office and have the power to make a change.”

Of course, there are plenty of other offices to run for, so why reach so high as Congress? Gordon views herself as a problem solver, going back to her days when she was known primarily for her work as a block captain and committeeperson who worked her way off public assistance to graduate from college.

“I know what the problems are and I know what the issues are, and I’m not aloof from them. I say we need somebody who is going to bring this [congressional] office closer to the neighborhood.”

That sounds good, but going up against a well-established politician such as Evans is no easy feat. (She also missed an opportunity to pitch her candidacy when she recently declined to join a scheduled meeting with Evans and The Inquirer Editorial Board.)

Political strategist Mustafa Rashed conceded that Gordon’s chances are slim. “The year after a mayoral election is typically a low turnout year, and low turnout years benefit incumbents,” Rashed told me. “She’s running uphill against a strong incumbent in a low turnout race, so those odds are not stacked in her favor.”

I feel for Gordon, and I believe she is well-intentioned. But as a Black woman from Southwest Philly, she should know that in the eyes of many voters, she isn’t allowed to make mistakes. However the truth plays out from the lawsuits over her time as Register of Wills, she should remember what the Obamas knew in the White House: that as the first Black president, “making mistakes was not an option,” as Michelle Obama said in a 2018 speech.

It’s unfair, yes, but that’s how it is.

For decades, Donatucci treated the Register of Willis office as a “patronage mill,” hiring people who were politically connected, and yet was reelected 10 times. As the first Black woman running the office, Gordon didn’t have that luxury. At their first opportunity, voters kicked her out.

Although some African American voters have a history of forgiving Black politicians’ misdeeds (former Washington, D.C., Mayor Marion Barry comes to mind), Gordon hadn’t been in office long enough to have built up enough goodwill to carry her through.

And by now throwing her hat in the ring for an elected office that comes with much more responsibility and prestige, it’s not likely voters will support her efforts. If she wants to stay in politics, that’s fine — but she should start with lower offices. I hope my old shero never forgets the Obamas’ lesson, as inequitable as it is: When you’re African American and in the public eye, making mistakes is not an option.