Democratic Sen. John Fetterman backs third-party progressives for Philly Council

Sen. John Fetterman has endorsed two progressive third-party candidates seeking seats on Philadelphia City Council, becoming the second statewide Democrat to buck local leaders and align with the Working Families Party.

In a statement Monday, Fetterman called his endorsement of incumbent Councilmember Kendra Brooks and her running mate, the Rev. Nicolas O’Rourke, “an easy decision.”

“Philadelphia has the opportunity to elect two champions for working families, instead of a Republican Party that’s fighting progress everywhere you look,” he said. “As Senator, I want partners in government in Philadelphia and throughout our commonwealth who are champions in putting working families over billionaires and corporate donors.”

The endorsement from Fetterman, one of the darlings of the national progressive movement, is a noteworthy development less than two months before the Nov. 7 general election. Four candidates — two Republicans and two Working Families Party candidates — are battling for a pair of seats on Council that are effectively reserved for non-Democrats. Those seats were held by Republicans for 70 years until 2019, when Brooks won her first term.

Fetterman’s backing comes less than two weeks after Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro announced he is backing Brooks for Council, a decision that prompted pushback from Bob Brady, chair of the Philadelphia Democratic City Committee. Brady has warned elected committeepeople that they could be expelled for supporting candidates outside the Democratic Party — any voter casting a ballot for the Working Families Party candidates would do so instead of picking two Democrats.

That’s because of the unique way that voters select the seven members of Philadelphia City Council who represent the city at-large. Voters can pick up to five candidates, and no party may nominate more than five people, meaning that two seats are effectively reserved for members outside the dominant party.

» READ MORE: Gov. Josh Shapiro is backing third-party progressive Kendra Brooks for Philly City Council

The five Democratic nominees are considered shoo-ins given the party holds a nearly 7-1 voter registration advantage over the GOP. But the Working Families Party, in order to top the GOP, needs to convince voters to select fewer Democrats and replace them with their candidates.

Two other elected Democrats have announced endorsements. State Sen. Art Haywood, of Northwest Philadelphia, said last week he is backing O’Rourke. And City Councilmember Jamie Gauthier, of West Philadelphia, is the only sitting Council member to endorse the Working Families Party slate.