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

Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro is endorsing Philadelphia City Councilmember Kendra Brooks for a second term, bucking some members of his own party by backing a third-party candidate and aligning himself with one of the city’s most progressive elected officials.

In a statement Wednesday, Shapiro said Brooks, of the labor-aligned Working Families Party, “has been a fierce advocate for Philadelphia’s working families and has demonstrated to me how critical her voice and lived experience are in City Council.”

The endorsement is a significant development two months before the Nov. 7 general election as four candidates — two Republicans and two Working Families Party candidates — battle for a pair of seats on Council that are effectively reserved for non-Democrats. The seats had been held by Republicans for 70 years until 2019, when Brooks won her first term.

The race for the seats that represent the city at-large is one of the most closely watched this fall as Brooks tries to repeat her historic 2019 win. That year, she won an endorsement from U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, of Massachusetts, one of the most visible progressives nationwide.

Shapiro, who took office in January and is rumored to have presidential aspirations, presents himself as a political moderate. His backing could be critical for Brooks as she stitches together a coalition ranging from centrist Democrats to labor unions to Democratic socialists — especially as her Republican opponents are portraying themselves as moderates.

Shapiro did not endorse Brooks’ running mate, the Rev. Nicolas O’Rourke. In his statement, he said he’s collaborated with Brooks and that she has “shown her commitment to getting things done.”

Brooks’ campaign also plans to schedule a fundraiser with the governor.

“One of the qualities I’m most proud of is my ability to work with colleagues from all backgrounds and build relationships like the one I have with Governor Shapiro,” Brooks said in a statement. “I’m a coalition builder.”

» READ MORE: Republicans are appealing a ruling keeping Working Families Party candidates on the Philly City Council ballot

One of the most powerful groups that does not support Brooks is the Philadelphia Democratic Party, making Shapiro’s support all the more noteworthy. Bob Brady, chair of the city committee, warned party officials they could be expelled if they backed anyone but Democrats in November, citing the party’s bylaws that require committee members and ward leaders support Democrats.

There are seven at-large seats on Council, and voters may choose up to five candidates, meaning that the five Democratic nominees are all but certain to win seats given the party’s 7-1 voter registration advantage in the city. In order for a third-party candidate to win over a Republican, they need to convince some voters to select fewer Democrats.

Brady on Wednesday suggested Shapiro’s endorsement may violate state party rules that say members must support Democrats, asking: “Does he know that someone who votes for her has to cut a Democrat?”

But state Sen. Sharif Street, chair of the Pennsylvania Democrats, said Shapiro “can support who he chooses.” He said while Shapiro is the highest ranking elected Democrat in state government, he’s not an elected member of the state party committee.

The endorsement is not the first time Shapiro and Brooks have been allied. Last year, she endorsed his run for governor as his campaign was making a concerted effort to motivate Black Philadelphians to vote. Brooks starred in an ad in which she said Shapiro was the best leader to “take on gun violence, fund our schools, and fix the justice system that disproportionately jails Black people.”

Still, they have clear ideological differences.

Shapiro has worked closely with both Democratic and Republican leadership in Harrisburg to craft legislation. Brooks and the Working Families Party are trying to oust Republicans from City Hall entirely, and her running mate has repeatedly said the GOP doesn’t deserve governing power in Philadelphia.

Brooks is a longtime advocate for traditional public education and has opposed efforts to turn over district schools to charter operators. This summer, Shapiro drew intense opposition from public-school advocates when he worked with Republicans to draft a controversial voucher program that charter proponents have pushed for years.

And Brooks has been one of City Council’s most vocal critics of law enforcement, voting against a city budget in 2020 because the police department’s allocation was too large. Shapiro, on the other hand, is the state’s former chief law enforcement officer, was endorsed by the Philadelphia police union, and campaigned on a pledge to hire more cops.

In his endorsement of Brooks, Shapiro highlighted her advocacy for paid sick days for workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and her work crafting legislation to protect people seeking and providing abortion care. They have also each been backed by a variety of organized labor interests.