October 26, 2015
Mayoral candidate Jim Kenney's campaign announced Monday morning that a top-ranking Democratic Party official has backed his candidacy for mayor of Philadelphia.
U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi, the minority leader in the U.S. House of Representatives, cited working families, education and the economy as reasons for her support in a three-sentence statement.
"I am proud to support Jim Kenney for Mayor because Jim will always be a fighter for Philadelphia's working families," she said. "On City Council, Jim earned the reputation as a hard working, determined advocate for Philadelphia's neighborhoods. As Mayor, I know Jim will fight every day to fix Philadelphia's schools and grow Philadelphia's economy."
Kenney, who led the endorsement charge in the Democratic primary, said he was honored by the announcement.
"As Philadelphia's economy grows, the financial well-being of every Philadelphian should grow with it. I remain committed to protecting our city's working families and ensuring that they are paid the wages they deserve," read his statement about the endorsement. "I also look forward to the Congresswoman's support as we work to create a thriving economy that works for Philadelphia's businesses and residents."
For her part, however, Republican mayoral candidate Melissa Murray Bailey found the announcement "ridiculous." She recounted a moment in a recent WHYY debate when Kenney said he wouldn't share specifics of some mayoral strategies until after he's elected.
"It's the same thing Pelosi did with Obamacare and Gov. Tom Wolf did with the budget, asking people to just trust them without offering specifics," she said on Monday morning. "I'm not surprised at all that they're lining up to support him."
