Candidate's Daughter Provides the "Swing Vote" in Dad's Election as Philadelphia's Democratic Mayoral Choice

Normally somewhat immune to television commercials, these ads certainly caught my attention. A perky, absolutely adorable, poised and well-spoken young lady was touting her Dad's qualifications for the Democratic nominee in Philadelphia's mayoral election. Beaming and fresh-faced, dressed as we would all pray our 'tweenaged' daughters would, Olivia Nutter noted that her Dad was the only candidate in a crowded field who currently had a child in the Philadelphia public school system. She went on to say that even though good ol' Dad has been really, really busy of late trying to etch out a place for himself as forerunner (I'm paraphrasing Olivia here), Dad still made the time each and every school morning to drive her to school. What a guy!

The timing and deeply personal message of the ads were rock solid: Dad, Michael Nutter, raked in 37 percent of the Democratic vote, leading second-place candidate Tom Knox 12 points in his trail. The field of Democratic candidates vying for the mayoral nod included Nutter (a former City Council member who resigned his post in order to run for Philadelphia mayor), U.S. Representative Bob Brady, State Representative Dwight Evans, and U.S. Representative Chaka Fattah. Nutter will face the Republican candidate for mayor, Al Taubenberger, in the November election. However, it is almost a given that Nutter will be the city's next mayor; Philadelphia has traditionally been a Democratic stronghold, where no Republican has held the top job for over thirty years.

Another stroke of last-minute campaign genius was painting the portrait of Nutter as the antithesis of current Mayor John Street, whose cabinet and office has long been clouded by controversy regarding kick backs and ethics issues. Actually, there was an additional candidate who was running for the Democratic nod: Mayor John Street's older brother, Milton Street. Milton was forced to withdraw his nomination after a series of 'unfortunate events': Owing nearly $1,500 in unpaid parking tickets in the Philadelphia suburb of Moorestown, New Jersey, Milton was picked up at a local convenience store in that town and eventually hauled into court - where he was found to have been a legal resident of Moorestown for the past several years, and not a Philadelphia resident - a major requisite for the post of Philadelphia Mayor. Milton is also currently embroiled in a major investigation regarding kickbacks to vendors and contractors at the Philadelphia Airport.

Nutter, who was one of three black candidates in the pool of five, trailed Knox from the campaign's start. (Knox is a white, self-made millionaire whose own television ads showed him in the 'mean streets' of downtown Philadelphia, acknowledging that he came from a poor (very poor, actually) background himself and understood the needs of the disenfranchised from first-hand experience. Despite high numbers of registered African-American voters in Philadelphia, the issue of race was actually a non-factor in Nutter's selection. He was perceived to be the candidate, black or white, who brought the most to the table.

Perhaps the end results in Nutter's selection as the Democratic candidate was really a culimation of issues which riveted voters' attention. His campaign promises included a zero-tolerance policy for corruption in city government (John Street? Who?) and support for a 'stop and frisk' police tactic in an effort to lower violence in many of the city's high-crime neighborhoods. By distancing himself from Mayor Street and the current state of compromised politics in the mayor's office, Nutter emerged as a bright, well-educated, well-spoken individual who brought lengthy City Council experience to the table. The fact that his daughter is extremely photogenic and just as bright and well-spoken only added to his campaign's luster. Where I a resident of Philadelphia and thus able to vote (although traditionally, the old joke is that you don't have to be necessarily living in Philadelphia to vote, nor even alive!), I would have voted for Nutter. Knox seemed like a promising candidate, but his lack of political office experience was a huge drawback.

Much of the credit for a well-oiled and exquisitely time campaign belongs to Nutter's campaign strategist, long-time political consultant Neil Oxman. Oxman, however, dismissed his role in Nutter's win. Instead, he chose to identify the campaign as that of "the best man won", with luck and an excellent, proven track record on Nutter's side.