Ed Rendell Endorses Out Candidate for City Council


Steinke-Rendell

Paul Steinke and Ed Rendell at Iovine Brothers in Reading Terminal Market. | Photo courtesy of Paul Steinke Campaign

Yesterday, at a press conference at Reading Terminal Market, former Governor Ed Rendell announced his official endorsement for out City Council candidate Paul Steinke. His statement:

As Mayor of Philadelphia, I saw first-hand how Paul applies his fresh ideas and passion for this City to produce real results for communities. Everywhere Paul has been—from the Center City District, the University District, to the Reading Terminal Market—the signs of Paul’s hard work and successes are clear. … Paul is exactly the kind of civic leader Philadelphia’s neighborhoods need on City Council. I am confident that once voters take a look at what Paul’s already accomplished, they will elect him to do the same for every neighborhood in Philadelphia.

Our sister political affairs blog, Citified, points out why the endorsement matters:

Rendell has not yet endorsed a candidate for mayor, and says he is unlikely to do so. Yet he’s endorsing Steinke for Council. … This is yet another indication that Philadelphia’s City Council has gained clout in recent years. And perhaps it’s also partly an attempt by Rendell to appear relevant in 2015. Regardless, it’s great news for Steinke. A whopping 21 Democrats are vying for just five At-Large seats, and several are formidable campaigners.

Steinke has also drawn endorsements from State Representative Brian Sims and a group of local LGBT business leaders, as well as the Philadelphia Inquirer. He is running with another out candidate, Sherrie Cohen, who is endorsed by the Philadelphia Democratic City Committee. If either of them win, they will be the first openly gay people elected to Philadelphia City Council. Election Day is May 19th.