Former Mayor Bill Green III is endorsing Allan Domb in Philly mayor’s race

Former Mayor William J. Green III is backing former City Councilmember Allan Domb in this year’s mayor’s race.

Green, 84, announced his support for Domb, a real estate broker known as the “condo king,” in a video released Wednesday by Domb’s campaign.

“I don’t know that I’ll be here for any more mayoral elections, so I care about what happens in this election,” Green said. “The choice to me, at least, is as clear as it could possibly be. The standout is Allan Domb. I know he’s got the ability, the brains, the tenacity, the hard work. He’s beholden to none [and] accountable to all.”

» READ MORE: All of the mayoral front-runners are wealthier than the average Philadelphian. Here’s what we know about their finances.

The endorsement is a notable one for Domb, who has polled near the top of the field of contenders for the May 16 Democratic primary despite getting little support from unions, political groups, or elected officials. With a rags-to-riches story and a vow to bring his business acumen to the mayor’s office, Domb has stayed relevant in the race by pouring more than $7 million of his own money into his campaign.

Green is the fourth former Philly mayor to make an endorsement in the race and the first who is not lining up behind former City Controller Rebecca Rhynhart, who has the backing of Ed Rendell, John F. Street, and Michael A. Nutter.

Green, known as Bill, is likely the last former mayor to weigh in. His successor, W. Wilson Goode Sr., typically doesn’t get involved in city politics because he gets city grant money for his philanthropic work. And as a sitting mayor, Jim Kenney is not expected to take a side.

Green, who served in Congress before becoming mayor, is the best-known figure in a storied political family that is regarded as Philadelphia’s equivalent of the Kennedys, with successive generations of charismatic and liberal Irish Catholics who played a major role in city politics.

His father, Bill Green Jr., was the local Democratic Party boss and was also a powerful member of Congress. His son, Bill Green IV, went on to become a Council member and chair of the now-defunct Philadelphia School Reform Commission.

Green served one term as mayor, from 1980 to 1984, and his administration was a key turning point for the city. He ignited Philadelphia’s urban renewal process and promised to guide the city out of the shadow of his divisive predecessor, Frank Rizzo, the former police commissioner who had defeated Green in the 1971 mayoral election.

Green narrowly defeated former Deputy Mayor Charles Bowser in the 1979 Democratic primary, stymieing what at the time appeared to be the best chance for Philadelphia to elect its first Black mayor. But Green then declined to run for reelection and instead endorsed Goode, who served as managing director in Green’s administration and broke the color barrier in the mayor’s office.

Green is credited with guiding the city through a fiscal crisis as mayor and for hiring numerous staffers in his administration who would go on to play major roles in Philly politics.

“He knows what the job of being mayor is — and how tough it will be for the next mayor to fix our city, because he led us through the worst we’ve ever seen,” Domb said in a statement. “Like the Green family, I am committed to Philadelphia, doing what is the right thing, and putting our fiscal house in order so we can continue to invest in our people and the city’s future.”