What Philly politicos had to say about Mayor Parker, the race for Congress, and who should run for president

There are few opportunities quite like election day when a large segment of Philadelphia’s politicians are gathered in one spot to schmooze — and are open to answering some uncomfortable questions.

So The Inquirer took advantage of that chance during the annual election day lunch at South Restaurant and Jazz Club on North Broad Street. Reporters asked a handful of Democratic elected officials and operatives there three questions about the state of politics. And some of them didn’t even dodge.

Tuesday’s questions were:

Here were some of the best answers:

It was a State Sen. Sharif Street-friendly crowd at South. That makes sense — he was endorsed by the Democratic City Committee and most Philly elected officials.

Parker, Council President Kenyatta Johnson, labor leader Ryan Boyer, and many others confidently predicted that Street would prevail in the tight congressional race. State Sen. Vincent Hughes said he’d win “in a close one, a nail-biter.”

» READ MORE: Philly’s crowded, costly, and combative 3rd Congressional District race is coming to an unpredictable close

Street’s two top opponents, physician Ala Stanford and State Rep. Chris Rabb, have each at various points during the campaign criticized the so-called “establishment.” Stanford made a brief appearance at the lunch, and she predicted she’d win. Rabb was invited but didn’t show.

» READ MORE: Philly DA Larry Krasner got kicked out of election day lunch after clashing with union leader Ryan Boyer

A few attendees made other predictions. Progressive State Sen. Nikil Saval said Rabb will win. Aren Platt, who leads Parker’s political operation, said the candidate with “the best field program” would prevail.

State Rep. Jason Dawkins said that it depends on turnout. “If turnout is low, I think that benefits Rabb. If it’s high, that benefits Street,” he said, adding: “I think Doctor Ala’s campaign ended a few weeks ago.”

John Hawkins, a veteran City Hall lobbyist, disagreed and said Stanford, whose TV advertisements have blanketed the region’s airwaves for months, would win. He said “nobody reads the newspaper anymore” and that any negative coverage of Stanford’s campaign is “inside baseball.”

Parker, a centrist who endorsed Street, will be up for reelection next year, and rumors have swirled that she may see a primary challenger from her left.

Boyer, one of Parker’s biggest supporters, said he’s “hearing” that Saval might be up for it. He said Saval “is a good senator” and should remain in Harrisburg’s upper chamber. If anyone were to challenge Parker, Boyer predicted it would be “annihilation.”

Saval, for his part, said he is “not planning to” run for mayor against Parker and has “no idea” if someone will. He said he’s focused on flipping the state Senate to Democratic control.

» READ MORE: Philly DA Larry Krasner casts doubt on running against Mayor Cherelle Parker

Dawkins said that if Rabb doesn’t win the Democratic nomination for the 3rd Congressional District on Tuesday, then he will be the “number one” challenger that the political world will chatter about. (Rabb did not run again for his state seat, meaning that if he loses Tuesday, he’s out of a job come next year.)

For Parker’s part?

“If someone wakes up tomorrow and they decide that they want to run to become the next mayor of the city of Philadelphia, they have every right to,” said Parker, the city’s first female mayor. “And I would agree, because there were a whole lot of people who said I didn’t have a right to run, that it wasn’t my turn.”

Every person who answered The Inquirer’s questions on Tuesday was asked to name two Democrats who would be good presidential nominees in 2028. Gov. Josh Shapiro made nearly everyone’s list.

A few, including City Controller Christy Brady and State Reps. Morgan Cephas and Jordan Harris, would only name Shapiro, and declined to name a second candidate.

Not everyone was in agreement.

State Sen. Anthony Williams said New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker — twice. When a reporter relayed that most others had named Shapiro on their presidential short lists, Williams responded sarcastically: “I wonder why that is.”

“The rest of them feel it,” he said. “They just won’t say that s— out loud.”

Boyer said Shapiro and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore. Johnson said Shapiro or Booker.

City Councilmember Rue Landau said Shapiro and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, then said she would like to also add U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to the list.

Saval said Ocasio-Cortez, twice. Platt said Shapiro or “anybody under 50.”

And District Attorney Larry Krasner said it should be “an outsider” or “an outsider who became an insider.”

Safe to say Shapiro does not top Krasner’s list.