Josephs' close calls

IN APRIL 1984, Babette Josephs defeated incumbent Samuel Rappaport by just 413 votes to win the Democratic primary for the state's 182nd House district.

She easily defeated her Republican challenger that November and, according to the Center for American Women and Politics, based out of Rutgers University, became one of only nine women in the 203-member state House.

She was threatened frequently in the past. Here are three recent challengers that went after her before Brian Sims' victory Tuesday:

2004: Andrew Hohns, a young investment banker and co-founder of Young Involved Philadelphia, tried for a second time to beat Josephs by campaigning on a platform of ending the city's brain-drain with the creation of more entry-level professional jobs. He lost by 559 votes.

2006: Center City lawyer Lawrence Farnese lost by fewer than 200 votes to Josephs after attacking her record on crime and winning the endorsement of former District Attorney Lynne Abraham. Farnese is now a state senator.

2010: Gregg Kravitz, a former congressional spokesman, lost to Josephs after she accused him of lying about his sexual orientation to win the district's LGBT vote. Kravitz, who told voters he was bisexual, lost by more than 1,900 votes. n

— Haley Kmetz