Philly City Council is entering a new era with lots of turnover, more progressive power, and new leadership

Tuesday’s general election marked the start of a new era for Philadelphia City Council, which will see significant turnover, new leadership, and additional progressive voices in the new year.

While Democrats maintain the super-majority that they’ve held for years, the most significant win came when two progressive third-party members, Councilmember Kendra Brooks and pastor Nicolas O’Rourke, won seats that are effectively reserved for non-Democrats and had been held for generations by Republicans.

Their win means just one Republican remains on Council: Brian O’Neill, who has represented Northeast Philadelphia since 1980 and defeated Democrat Gary Masino, a labor leader who mounted one of the strongest challenges O’Neill has faced in his career. And it ensures that a progressive faction will have a presence in Council for the next four years — though it’s not yet clear how much power or influence they will have under new leadership in City Hall, including mayor-elect Cherelle Parker, a more centrist Democrat.

The results of Tuesday’s election come at a time of massive upheaval in City Hall and as the makeup of the city’s legislative body has shifted. Come January, the 17-member body will be the most inexperienced it has been in decades, with two-thirds of its members having served one term or less. There will be a new mayor and a new Council president.

» READ MORE: Philly City Council is the least experienced it’s been in 40 years

Council has in some ways moved to the right ideologically in the last year, with just two progressives — Brooks and West Philadelphia Councilmember Jamie Gauthier — currently serving in City Hall. Former Councilmember Helen Gym, who was in some ways seen as the leader of the progressive faction, resigned late last year to launch an unsuccessful run for mayor.

So did ex-Councilmember Maria Quiñones Sánchez, who described herself as a “pragmatic progressive.” She was replaced by her chief of staff, Quetcy Lozada, who won a special election to fill the seat and has described herself as more conservative than her former boss. Lozada has endorsed a law enforcement-driven approach to addressing the drug trade in Kensington, and is advocating for involuntarily committing people living on the streets.

Over the last year, Council has advanced several pieces of legislation opposed by progressives, including a change to the zoning code that effectively prohibits supervised drug consumption sites in most of the city.

And a coalition of leftist organizations opposed the city budget approved in the spring because it reduced taxes on businesses and increased the police budget, but did not fund increases to quality-of-life services to the level Gauthier sought.

What remains to be seen is how new members fit in.

O’Rourke will fall squarely in the progressive faction. He aligns with Brooks on policy matters, including being in favor of a “wealth tax” and opposing the proposed Sixers arena in Center City.

During a victory speech Tuesday, O’Rourke said he wants to focus on addressing affordable housing, climate change and creating “a government that is responsive not just to Rittenhouse Square, but to the neighborhoods that need it the most.”

Among the Democrats elected Tuesday, Rue Landau, a housing and civil rights attorney, likely falls farthest to the left on the political spectrum. Much of her past work has been advocating for tenants’ rights, and she has endorsements from both the Democratic party and left-leaning organizations like Reclaim Philadelphia.

Landau, who will be the first openly LGBTQ Council member in city history, has resisted being branded part of one ideological group or another. Her platform largely focused on advancing “economic justice,” fighting for affordable housing, and increasing investments in city services.

She’ll be joined by Nina Ahmad, a scientist and activist who unsuccessfully ran for public office twice before winning a nomination in the Democratic primary this spring.

Ahmad, an immigrant who will be the first South Asian to ever serve on Council, was endorsed by dozens of Democratic ward leaders and is backed by the politically powerful Philadelphia Building & Construction Trades Council. She’s described herself as an advocate for marginalized people who would take a data-driven approach to legislating.

The third new Democrat is Jeffrey “Jay” Young, who hails from North Philadelphia’s 5th District, which is currently represented by Council President Darrell L. Clarke, who did not seek reelection. Young, a lawyer whose work has centered on development in the district, in some ways became the Democratic nominee by chance.

Clarke decided just weeks before the primary that he wouldn’t run again, setting off a scramble by candidates to obtain the requisite number of petition signatures to get on the ballot. Five candidates, including one with Clarke’s backing, withdrew or were removed from the ballot amid legal challenges. Young was the last Democrat remaining.

How the chamber ultimately organizes itself — and whether political and policy disagreements take place in public or private — could depend on how the leadership exerts itself.

That will likely be up to Councilmember Kenyatta Johnson, a Democrat who represents parts of South and Southwest Philadelphia and appears to have amassed enough support from colleagues to become the next Council president. He’s not ideologically far afield from Clarke — both men have focused much of their district work on controlling development and siding with longtime residents who fear being priced out of the neighborhoods.

What’s unclear is how he’d choose to lead the chamber.

Council was long known to have warring factions that would openly feud, at times in confrontations that came to physical blows. But Clarke worked hard to keep a lid on internal disputes. He empowered members individually, and tried to avoid bringing legislation to the floor that didn’t have near-unanimous support.

Johnson has been vague about how he’d manage the chamber, but has spoken positively about Clarke’s leadership style.

He may also be informed by his own leadership team that’s likely to include Democratic Councilmembers Katherine Gilmore Richardson and Isaiah Thomas, both of whom won their second terms Tuesday.

And what Council is able to accomplish will depend on members’ relationship with Parker, a former Council member. Mayors often work to implement much of their legislative agenda through the city budget, which is voted on in June following months of negotiations between Council and administration officials.

During her victory party Tuesday, Parker emphasized the need for political unity in City Hall and brought Johnson to center stage.

He embraced Parker as she said, “We will not let divide-and-conquer … stop us.”

Inquirer staff writer Sean Collins Walsh contributed to this article.