What to Know
- Sheriff Jewell Williams is seeking a third term.
- His second term has been clouded by revelations of sexual harassment claims against him and settlements dating years.
- Two women, both well-regarded former law enforcement officials in Philadelphia, are challenging Williams in the Democratic primary May 21.
Jewell Williams, the Philadelphia sheriff running for re-election, received an endorsement by the Philadelphia Democrats' top party officials Monday night despite the sustained cloud of sexual harassment settlements against him.
Williams is seeking a third term. He faces challenges from two well-respected women and a former city corrections officer in the May 21 primary. Former Deputy Sheriff Malika Rahman and Rochelle Bilal, a former city police officer and leader of the Guardian Civic League, are trying to unseat the incumbent. Larry King, a doctor of theology, is also running as a Democrat.
Sexual harassment lawsuits have dogged Williams' second term in office after it was reported that the City of Philadelphia paid out a $127,000 settlement earlier this year and the state legislature's Democratic caucus paid out $30,000 to settle a claim dating to Williams' time as a state representative in Harrisburg in 2012.
The sheriff's endorsement came after the Democratic City Committee's policy panel conducted interviews Monday with all Democratic candidates running for municipal offices this year.
Five of the 30 candidates running for at-large City Council seats were also endorsed, along with Mayor Jim Kenney, who is seeking a second term. The five at-large candidates endorsed are the three incumbents running for re-election, Allan Domb, Derek Green and Helen Gym, along with Sandra Dungee Glenn and Katherine Gilmore Richardson.
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The endorsements by the City Committee panel precede another endorsement vote this week by the Democratic ward leaders. The city is broken up into wards, geographical boundaries that are the backbone of the political system in Philadelphia.
The members of the committee's policy committee that endorsed Williams, Kenney and the five Council at-large seats are U.S. Rep. Bob Brady, City Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell, state Rep. Angel Cruz, Michael McAleer, Anna Brown, Pete Wilson, Shawn Dillon, Edgar Campbell, Shirley Gregory, Lou Agre, Bob Dellavella, and John "Johnny Doc" Dougherty, according to the committee's website.
It's Official: Candidates for Mayor, Sheriff, City Council in Philadelphia
Incumbents in nearly every elected position in Philadelphia are facing competition in the upcoming May municipal elections. Notably, Mayor Kenney faces an old foe, and two women are trying to unseat the incumbent sheriff and become the first-ever female sheriff in the city.
Democrat names are in blue and Republicans in red.
