Jonathan Saidel’s decision not to seek reelection to the office of City Controller to run for Mayor of Philadelphia has opened up a seat that Republicans are eager to claim as their own. With most of the city’s top offices held by Democrats, the City Controller’s office is a unique opportunity for Republicans to gain a foothold in what some have called a corrupt city government. The party’s likely nominee, Hillel Levinson, is a former managing director and registered Democrat from the Rizzo mayoral administration who was indicted for extortion and perjury, charges that were later thrown out. Behind in name recognition and charged with being “too liberal” because of campaign donations to U.S. Representatives Chaka Fattah and Bob Brady, Levinson faces an uphill battle to win the general election against the Democratic nominee. The Democrats will decide their nominee in the primary on May 17th. They are to choose between Alan Butkovitz, the current State Representative for the 174th District which covers Northeast Philadelphia, and John Braxton, a former Common Pleas judge who ran unsuccessfully for Democrat Tom Foglietta’s 1st District Congressional seat in the 1996 primary. Although Braxton has received an endorsement from the Communications Workers of America – District 13, Butkovitz is the strong party favorite receiving endorsements from John Dougherty’s IBEW, the Fraternal Order of Police, and other local Democratic party leaders. – T.O.
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