Philadelphia City Council results: Democratic party insiders set to win two at-large seats

Two Democratic party insiders are poised to win at-large spots on Philadelphia City Council Tuesday, filling a pair of seats left vacant by members who resigned to launch runs for mayor.

In the citywide special elections, Jimmy Harrity, the political director of the state Democratic party, and Sharon Vaughn, a ward leader and longtime fixture in City Hall, held significant leads late Tuesday over the Republican nominees Drew Murray, a civic leader in Center City, and Jim Hasher, a real estate agent and bar owner.

Harrity and Vaughn, who each consider themselves political centrists, were widely expected to win the seats, given Philadelphia’s heavily Democratic electorate. The nominees were selected by party ward leaders — not voters — who choose the nominees in special elections to fill Council vacancies.

The Democrats will serve out the 14 months that remain in the terms held by Derek Green — Vaughn was his former chief of staff — and Allan Domb, a real estate magnate. Green is running for mayor ahead of the May 2023 primary, and Domb is exploring a run. Philadelphia city rules require officeholders resign their post to run for higher office.

» READ MORE: Sharon Vaughn worked behind the scenes in City Hall for 33 years

Harrity, a former aide to state Sen. Sharif Street, said his priority is finding ways for the city to better support school children, saying “we have to educate our way out of this problem” of rising rates of gun violence.

He spent election night with other members of the city committee at the headquarters of his Kensington-based ward. A longtime Democratic aide and political operative, Harrity said he’s still getting used to being the face of a campaign.

“I’m still Jimmy,” he said. “I had never thought I would ever run. I was comfortable being the guy behind the guy. But I talk to these young kids in the neighborhood. They don’t want anything extra. They just want a fair shot.”

» READ MORE: A bar fight, a heart attack, and 12 years of sobriety: Jimmy Harrity’s path to Philadelphia City Council

Vaughn, who hosted an election night party in Olney with guests she knows from her 33 years working in City Hall, said her victory “shows that hard work pays off.” She said her first priority is addressing rising rates of gun violence.

“I grew up in this city and lived here my entire life,” she said. “We have to start to address the violence that we have in our city. We have to stop killing each other.”

Vaughn has said that she does not intend to run next year for a full term.

Murray and Hasher have said they intend to run again for a full term. Of the seven at-large seats on Council, two are effectively reserved for members of parties outside the majority.

“We knew this was a long shot,” Murray said Tuesday night. “This was almost like a warm-up for next year.”