Controller candidate drops out of race as City Democratic Committee nears endorsement

City controller candidate Jack Inacker dropped out of the race Wednesday morning after acting Controller Christy Brady received overwhelming support from a Democratic City Committee panel.

Brady, whom Mayor Jim Kenney appointed acting controller in November after Rebecca Rhynhart resigned to run for mayor, has not announced whether she would resign from her post to run.

“I greatly appreciate the DCC’s Policy Committee’s thorough review of my professional experience,” Brady said. “Their confidence in me reaffirms my ability to perform the duties of the position at the highest level while determining the next steps on how I can best serve the city.”

Former U.S. Rep. Bob Brady, who leads the Democratic City Committee, told The Inquirer that its policy committee overwhelmingly recommended endorsing Christy Brady. (The two are not related.)

He called her a “pretty qualified lady” and touted her longevity and experience with the controller’s office, saying she “started at the bottom and worked her way up.” Brady has been with the controller’s office for nearly three decades.

Democratic City Committee ward leaders still must vote on the party endorsement. Bob Brady said that vote is expected Monday.

In December, Christy Brady sought opinion from the city’s Law Department about whether the “resign to run” rule applies to her. The City Charter policy requires city employees to resign if they want to seek elected office but makes exception for officials running for reelection. Brady was appointed, not elected, to serve as controller. In January, Common Pleas Court Judge Anne Marie Coyle rejected Brady’s ask to treat her like an incumbent running for reelection and therefore allow her to campaign for controller without resigning first.

She met with the city Democratic Party’s policy committee in January but said she didn’t declare candidacy or seek the party’s endorsement.

In a letter posted to Twitter, Inacker, an Air Force veteran and former nuclear weapons systems specialist who now owns a boat-docking company in Connecticut, said he would “step aside” to back Brady.

“I wholeheartedly endorse Christy Brady for the job of the controller and am excited to support her in her run,” Inacker wrote. “I believe that our party is at its best when we are united toward our common goals.”

Inacker triggered a Board of Ethics rule that doubled the amount a controller candidate could raise after he contributed more than $250,000 of his own money to his campaign. Though he’s out of the race, that rule remains in place.

His departure leaves two who have declared candidacy in the controller’s race.

Karen Javaruski, a committeeperson and treasurer for the 31st Ward, was the first candidate in the race. She has worked in banking for more than 20 years and is an enterprise risk-management professional for Citi.

“I’m grateful for the strong showing of support I received from the members of the policy committee,” Javaruski said in a statement Wednesday. “In addition to a lifetime of service to my community, I’ve devoted years of my time as a committeeperson and to the state committee because who we elect is important.”

Javaruski told The Inquirer on Wednesday that she had a strong showing of support from individual members of the party among ward leaders and believes she could receive the official endorsement from the Democratic City Committee.

“There are cases whereby the policy committee’s recommendation is not the final endorsement,” Javaruski said. Touting her work with the local and statewide party, Javaruski added, “I do spend and volunteer and donate time and money to the party, unlike anyone else who is in the race at the moment.”

Javaruski said she will continue her campaign regardless of whom the party officially endorses.

Alexandra Hunt, a public health researcher, is also running. She garnered local and national attention after raising hundreds of thousands of dollars in her unsuccessful bid to unseat U.S. Rep. Dwight Evans (D. Phila.).

“I think it’s a bizarre endorsement of someone who isn’t a candidate and who isn’t allowed to be a candidate until she resigns based on the city charter and a recent legal ruling,” Hunt said of Brady. “I’m running to root out corruption, back-door dealing, and wasteful spending of taxpayer dollars. Endorsing someone who was just told by a judge that she can’t be a candidate ... checks all those boxes.”

The primary is May 16. Candidates can begin circulating nominating petitions to secure a spot on the primary ballot beginning Feb. 14. Petitions must be filed by March 7.

Staff writer Chris Brennan contributed to this article.