Williams gets his own NW endorsements

Two weeks ago, state Rep. Dwight Evans and City Councilwoman Marian Tasco, together with a group of other prominent African American elected officials from Northwest Philadelphia, endorsed Jim Kenney for mayor.

Thursday, a group of former African American elected officials from the same corner of the city disavowed that endorsement, contending that state Sen. Anthony H. Williams was a better choice for their constituents.

Announcing their support for Williams were former city councilmembers George Burrell and Donna Reed Miller along with former state Rep. John Myers and former state Sen. Leanne Washington, who resigned from office last year after pleading guilty for using her legislative staff for campaign efforts.

Calling themselves the Northwest Coalition of Neighbors and Friends, the former officials and several other political and religious leaders argued that Kenney, as a white, Irish politician from South Philadelphia, was a poor choice for the largely black residents of the Northwest.

"A majority of white voters in South Philadelphia on May 19th will vote for Jim Kenney," Burrell said, "and that will be seen as a smart vote because he is a product of that community and. . . those voters know that man and know they can trust him."

Williams, who was not at the event, represents the same for the African American community, Burrell said.