3 incumbents are booted out of Council seats

Voters appeared late last night to have booted three Democratic City Council incumbents out of office, signaling that their appetite for change wasn't limited to the mayor's office.

At-large Councilman Juan Ramos lost his seat, perhaps done in by the large number of votes that went to similarly named candidate Ben Ramos.

Newcomer Bill Green - son of former Mayor Bill Green - will join incumbents James Kenney, Wilson Goode Jr., William K. Greenlee and Blondell Reynolds Brown as the Democrats' at-large nominees.

In the Fourth District, Councilwoman Carol Campbell was narrowly losing to Curtis Jones Jr. with nearly all of the votes counted. Matt McClure was running a close third, but was no threat to overtake Campbell or Jones.

Given the thin margin, a Fourth District recount seemed possible. Campbell could not be reached for comment late last night. The Jones campaign was declaring victory.

The biggest Council victory for those Democratic activists seeking to remake the party came in the Seventh District, where Maria Quinones Sanchez handily defeated incumbent Daniel Savage.

"The reform movement is just getting started," Sanchez said last night.

Green agreed.

"I think our election, together with Michael Nutter's, is a sign that we have a chance to be the fine progressive city we once were," he said.

Sanchez's campaign received a late boost with an endorsement from Gov. Rendell. She was the only Council candidate he endorsed in the city.

Kenney, who easily led all at-large candidates, said he would welcome new Council members.

"I'm willing to work with anyone who gets there," he said.

Sharif Street, son of Mayor Street, ran a strong campaign but finished just short of the final at-large Council spot. Milton Street - his uncle, the mayor's brother - finished near the bottom of the field.

Despite Sanchez's win, it was a disappointing day for the loose slate of reform-minded candidates seeking to shake up Council.

Andrew Toy performed strongly, coming within striking distance of the final at-large nomination. But Marc Stier, Caryn Hunt, Matt Ruben and Derek Green did not finish in the top 10.

Eighth District Councilwoman Donna Reed Miller was returned to office despite getting just more than 30 percent of the vote. Challengers Greg Paulmier, Cindy Bass and Irv Ackelsberg all had solid bases of support, and they carved up the remaining votes among them.

The bitter fight in the First District - featuring longtime South Philadelphia foes Frank DiCicco and Vern Anastasio - ended with a whimper. DiCicco, the 11-year incumbent, beat Anastasio by a better than 2-1 ratio.

As expected, district Council incumbents Anna C. Verna, Darrell Clarke and Marian Tasco won easily despite facing credible challengers.

Verna, the Council president, beat Damon Roberts by a nearly 4-1 ratio in the Second District.

Clarke had no trouble topping his Fifth District challengers, defeating Haile Johnston and John Longacre.

A trio of challengers - Cecil A. Hankins, Raymond Jones Jr. and Lamont Thomas - couldn't prevent Tasco from dominating the vote in the Ninth District. With nearly all ballots counted, she had more than 17,000 votes. None of her challengers had topped 3,000.