What role do Bob Brady and Philly’s players play in the election?

All eyes were on the Democratic Party in Philadelphia as the dispute between Democratic Party Chairman Bob Brady and Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign captured national attention this week.

The bitter disputes escalated after Harris failed to secure enough Democratic votes in the city to offset President-elect Donald Trump’s victories elsewhere in Pennsylvania, resulting in Brady declaring he lacked respect and campaign money while the campaign pointed to Brady’s ineffectiveness as party chairman.

As chairman for more than three decades, a key part of Brady’s job is mobilizing voters to support Democratic Party candidates, and the former U.S. congressman won the position thanks to the district leaders who elected him.

Brady and district leaders are a product of the city’s district system, which traces its origins to the first settlers in Philadelphia which drew inspiration from the division of boroughs in England. The first division of city districts took place in 1705 – mainly for police routes – and has remained since then.

Chairmen, district leaders and committee people are tasked with mobilizing their party’s voters. But when things don’t go as expected – especially in a Democratic stronghold like Philadelphia – they, too, may be among the first to shoulder the blame.

Here’s what you need to know about Brady’s role and Philadelphia’s district system.

Who is Bob Brady?

Bob Brady has been the chairman of the Philadelphia Democratic Party since 1988. From 1997 to 2019, he served in the United States House of Representatives, representing Pennsylvania’s 1st Congressional District.

Brady is a close friend of President Joe Biden (Biden was a guest at the City Committee dinner in September) and was proud that members of the city’s Democratic Party chose to remain devoted to Biden after his disastrous performance in the June debate against Trump. After the president suspended his re-election bid– Biden reportedly told Brady “get through it,” the chairman said, and shift his support to Harris.

As head of perhaps one of the most enduring political machines in the U.S., Brady faced questions about his ability to sway votes in the city, though his skills as a negotiator and power broker made him a reliable fixture in city politics.

He also earned a reputation as an overachiever, creating several notable moments during his more than three decades as party chairman, including when he made national news for stealing the Pope’s water or when he didn’t receive then-President Bill Clinton on the phone in the 1990s. because he helped repair the women’s toilet.

Asked Wednesday whether he would step down from his decades-long job as chairman, Brady said he was “not going anywhere” and that he had not heard any calls for him to step down.

Why are Kamala Harris and Bob Brady’s campaigns at odds?

It was Brady’s attitude that appears to have largely fueled the tensions between him and the Harris campaign that simmered on Wednesday.

After Harris’ loss, Brady largely blamed the Harris campaign for disrespecting district leaders or allowing him to meet with Harris.

“I’ve never talked to this lady, and she’s a candidate,” he said.

However, Harris’ campaign provided The Inquirer with a photo of Brady with Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to dispute that claim.

Brady questioned whether Biden should have been replaced in the seat, wondered whether Gov. Josh Shapiro would have been a wiser choice for running mate, and criticized Harris’ campaign for paying only “half” of the money the city committee asked committee members to pay to withdraw from voting.

The vice president’s campaign – who indeed had a immense presence in Philadelphia – quickly responded. Brendan McPhillips, senior adviser to Harris’ Pennsylvania campaign, called Brady’s turnout operation “worthless” and said Harris’ team “knocked on over two million doors the weekend before Election Day, which is two million more doors than Bob Brady’s organization can claim that she knocked throughout his term as party chairman.”

What is a branch?

Philadelphia has 66 precincts, which constitute the city’s individual voting districts. Every branch is there then divided into anywhere from 11 to 51 departments (there are 1,703 of them in total).

District leaders and elected committee members work at the behest of their political party. Some of them most important works according to the Philly Ward Leaders website, including registering voters and mobilizing them to vote for approved candidates. They collect voter signatures to place candidates on the ballot, form voter coalitions, and on Election Day stand outside polling places to hand out election materials.

District leaders also help raise funds and recruit people for open committee positions and provide official endorsements to parties during primary elections – sometimes in line with their own priorities.

Philadelphia city commissioners are also following this voter turnout in individual districts in individual elections on its website.

How are district leaders elected?

Every four years, during the primary elections for governor, Democrats and Republicans elect two people in each district act as persons responsible for the committees of their branches. These elected individuals form each party’s district committee, which then votes for the district leader, usually shortly after the election.

District leaders then form the party’s town committee and elect its chairman (i.e. Brady for Democrats and Vince Fenerty for Republicans).

What do district leaders do during election season?

The power of endorsement from district leaders is perhaps one of the most important—and controversial—responsibilities of this position, especially as district leaders choose nominees for a special election. This is enormous power wielded by a small number of people.

This influence manifests itself in urban policy in other ways. Typically, elections for smaller offices in Philadelphia are often influenced by input from precinct leaders, whose candidates often seek their approval and connection with voters. Campaigns will offer “street money” used to pay committee members for allowing them to vote, promising to open direct channels of communication once they are elected, and promising committee members a job in the candidate’s office.

District leaders may also have even more power if they are in a “closed district,” meaning they decide who the district supports. “Open districts,” which progressive groups have advocated for years, give committee members the opportunity to vote on who their district supports in local elections, by Philadelphia 3.0government reform group he also advocated abolishing the city commissioners’ office.

Why do progressive activists want to change the district system?

This approval process is one of the main reasons why progressives in Philadelphia are advocating for a change to the district system – namely by creating more open districts. There they are different schools of thought about what open branches can offer; some operate the term to refer to allowing committee members to vote on changes to policies and procedures, while others define it as districts that allow for public meetings or the release of campaign finance reports.