Final Mayor debate: Who and what got the most time?

Candidates took the stage for the final debate in the race to become Philly’s 100th mayor. Here’s what they did with their time.

By Jasen Lo, Sam Morris, and Charmaine Runes
Published Apr 26, 2023

With just three weeks to go until Philadelphia’s primary election, six Democratic candidates for mayor took to the stage for the final planned televised debate – streamed last night, and set to be broadcast on 6abc at 9 a.m. Sunday. The contenders hoping to become Philly’s 100th mayor spent a majority of the time discussing public safety, economic issues, ethics, and their leadership capabilities over the course of 90 minutes.

But who got the most speaking time during the debate? And what topics did the candidates spend that time on? Let us break it down.

The group was asked about economic issues and poverty – including, but not limited to, taxes and support for small businesses. Jeff Brown touched on poverty frequently in his opening and closing remarks.
I don't want to be the poorest big city in the country. It's not sustainable.
Jeff Brown
There's plenty of money in our budget to do …all to many of these programs.
Allan Domb
on how he would not raise taxes.
What the city needs is a real investment in its neighborhoods, its communities, and especially its schools.
Helen Gym
on her refusal to rule out raising taxes.
I have a plan to build 30,000 units of affordable housing – mixed use, market rate and affordable.
Cherelle Parker
on how she intends to lift Philadelphians out of poverty.
Questions were asked on public safety related to gun violence, policing, and District Attorney Larry Krasner’s approach to criminal justice. Amen Brown and Cherelle Parker spent a lot of time on the issue in their opening and closing remarks.
I will not take any medically viable option off the table.
Helen Gym
on whether she supports supervised-injection sites.
That lived experience gives me a seat at the table to solve the problem, because I see both sides.
Amen Brown
on how being a survivor of gun violence informs his policymaking.
I support what is called Terry stops. That means that any law enforcement officer must have just cause and reasonable suspicion.
Cherelle Parker
on her support of stop and frisk.
If the Eagles are losing, do you fire the coach and you fire the quarterback? I believe you fire the coach. I would give her an opportunity to perform.
Allan Domb
on if he would fire Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw.
Crisis management and maintaining relationships with nearby regions – or more broadly leadership – was discussed. Leadership was a prominent theme in the opening remarks of both Helen Gym and Allan Domb.
I've gotten over 100,000 votes citywide in my run for City Controller.
Rebecca Rhynhart
on if the next mayor will be elected by a minority of voters.
The six or seven years you've been in Council, you got sucked into this system that has actually left us in a crisis.
Jeff Brown
in his question to Domb about his record on City Council.
I am not an auditor and/or a departmental manager. I am a leader.
Cherelle Parker
I am not afraid to be anywhere in this city. I'm good in any hood.
Amen Brown
Candidates answer questions around their individual campaigns. This included questions on endorsements and how they financed their campaigns. Jeff Brown received the most attention, as the city ethics board has accused him of illegally coordinating with a super PAC. He falsely claimed that a lawsuit filed against the group had been settled.
I didn't even want their endorsement. The building trades unions and the teachers’ union have steered us in the wrong direction.
Jeff Brown
Unlike Jeff Brown, our super PACs actually disclose their donors.
Helen Gym
on Brown’s campaign-finance entanglements.
There are certain things that I would do differently than both.
Rebecca Rhynhart
on being endorsed by former Mayors Nutter and Street.
While the forums were being held, I was actually helping the communities in need physically, mentally and emotionally.
Amen Brown
on why he hasn’t attended more mayoral forums
As it was in the first televised debate, the much discussed proposed Sixers arena in Center City became a point of contention. Jeff Brown and Amen Brown voiced their support for the proposal, while Gym raised her opposition. Other candidates were mostly on the fence, but most signaled some intention to develop Market East.
It's going to have a lot of construction jobs, and it's going to have a lot of new permanent jobs.
Jeff Brown
I will contest whether it is actually going to be fully privately funded.
Helen Gym
In order to make a decision on a project of this size and magnitude, we need all the information.
Rebecca Rhynhart
on her hesitation to support or oppose the proposed arena.
We have to really reenvision from City Hall on Market Street to Sixth Street. It's kind of a mess.
Allan Domb
on where the proposed arena would be located.
Candidates spoke about schools and education for considerably less time compared to the previous televised debate.
What we need and what we don't have right now is a plan with clear goals and metrics.
Rebecca Rhynhart
If anybody thinks that Harrisburg is going to come rescue us on the school issue, they are living in lala land.
Helen Gym
Both Domb and Parker were asked questions about the city’s ongoing trash problem.
These are city services that will reduce crime, make the quality of life better in our city, and help our local small business corridors.
Allan Domb
We're going to put that program on steroids. We will have cleaning around the clock.
Cherelle Parker
on the PHL TCB program.
After Derek Green dropped out, we had one less podium for this debate, meaning that everyone got more speaking time. Just like that first debate, both Gym and Parker came out with the most speaking time.
As a reminder, the candidates spoke about economic issues and poverty, public safety, leadership, their campaigns, the Sixers arena, schools and education, and trash.

Looking for more coverage of this debate? There's a recap of the main talking points and our opinion staff weighed in on who won. If you want to learn more about the candidates, our comprehensive voter’s guide details every Democratic primary candidate running for mayor, Council seats, and much more.

Methodology

Using a transcript of the debate, two Inquirer reporters independently categorized candidates’ talking time into distinct topics: Opening remarks, small business, violence, policing, crime, poverty, education, campaign finance, DA & Police Commission, taxes, popular support, democratic party, endorsements, sixers arena, crisis management, trash, regionalism, individual candidate-to-candidate questions, and closing remarks. These were then grouped together into the broader categories you see above.

The reporters then compared their results to come to a single set of times.

Reporting: Jasen Lo and Anna Orso
Design and development: Sam Morris
Additional development: Dain Saint
Data Collection: Jasen Lo and Charmaine Runes
Editing: Sam Morris and Anna Orso

Final Mayor debate: Who and what got the most time?

Methodology

Staff Contributors