1971 Philadelphia mayoral election

none January 2025 July 2023 1971 Philadelphia mayoral election Philadelphia presidential no 1967 1975 November 2, 1971 77%Voter Turnout in U.S. Mayoral Elections Is Pathetic, But It Wasn't Always This Way Denvir Daniel https://www.citylab.com/equity/2015/05/mayoral-election-voting-turnout/393737/#disqus_thread City Lab April 28, 2019 May 22, 2015 4 pp File:Frank Rizzo 1972 (1).jpg Frank Rizzo Democratic Party (United States) 394,067 52.87% File:3x4.svg Thacher Longstreth Republican Party (United States) 345,912 46.41% File:1971 Philadelphia mayoral election results by ward.svg 260px Results by wardRizzo: #7996E2 50–60% #6674DE 60–70% #584CDE 70–80% #3933E5 80–90%Longstreth: #E27F7F 50–60% #D75D5D 60–70% #D72F30 70–80% #C21B18 80–90% Mayor James Tate Democratic Party (United States) Frank Rizzo Democratic Party (United States) The 1971 Philadelphia mayoral election took place on November 2, 1971, to fill the 182nd mayoral term in Philadelphia, with Democratic nominee Frank Rizzo defeating Republican Thacher Longstreth.Mayors of Philadelphia https://www.phila.gov/PHILS/Mayorlst.htm 2022-01-11 www.phila.govJanson Donald November 3, 1971 RIZZO WINS RACE IN PHILADELPHIA 1 The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/1971/11/03/archives/rizzo-wins-race-in-philadelphia-defeats-gop-opponent-in-contest-for.html January 11, 2022 While Longstreth received many split ticket votes from Democrats, Rizzo found support among unions and the white working-class electorate.Janson Donald November 3, 1971 RIZZO WINS RACE IN PHILADELPHIA 1 The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/1971/11/03/archives/rizzo-wins-race-in-philadelphia-defeats-gop-opponent-in-contest-for.html January 11, 2022 Rizzo was the first Italian-American mayor of Philadelphia,Janson Donald November 3, 1971 RIZZO WINS RACE IN PHILADELPHIA 1 The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/1971/11/03/archives/rizzo-wins-race-in-philadelphia-defeats-gop-opponent-in-contest-for.html January 11, 2022 and would be reelected in 1975 before a failed attempt to change the city charter to allow him to run for a third term.Gambacorta David Laker Barbara June 4, 2020 Frank Rizzo leaves a legacy of unchecked police brutality and division in Philadelphia Philadelphia Inquirer https://www.inquirer.com/news/philadelphia-frank-rizzo-police-violence-legacy-shootings-20200603.html January 11, 2022 Democratic primary Candidates Declared William J. Green III, U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania's 5th congressional district Ira Einhorn, counterculture figure and future convicted murderer Frank Lomento, pretzel vendor James E. Poole Albert Sprague, member of Local 141 of the Lithographers and Photo Engravers International Union5th Philadelphia Candidate https://www.nytimes.com/1971/03/07/archives/5th-philadelphia-candidate.html The New York Times August 10, 2019 Frank Rizzo, Police Commissioner and acting Mayor Hardy Williams, State Representative from the 191st district Withdrew David Cohen, former City Councilman (endorsed Green) Campaign Frank Rizzo had a reputation for his harsh policing style and was called "the toughest cop in America". He began as the frontrunner for the nomination, with the endorsement of the city's Democratic organization. Rizzo refused to debate or attend the same events as his opponents. Green refused to discuss most issues, and avoided interviews or written questions by the media or civic groups. He also refused to join his opponents in testifying on the city's financial problems before the Philadelphia City Council. Rizzo also did not make many campaign appearances, making only a single appearance a day and only appearing in white ethnic neighborhoods considered to be friendly towards him. Rizzo repeatedly insisted that he was "not a politician". Rizzo took a position against additional taxes. Rizzo had earned goodwill with many voters, who perceived his command of the police department as having staved off the sort of violent rioting other cities had experienced years earlier. Green warned voters that it would be a "disaster" if America's then-fourth largest city were to be led by Rizzo. Liberal politicians primarily supported Green. Shortly before the primary, governor Milton Shapp endorsed Green (after which Rizzo attacked Shapp's record). Green's camp had attempted to get Williams to withdraw, in order to unite liberal voters around Green and against Rizzo. Williams refused.Janson Donald Rizzo Wins Race in Philadelphia https://www.nytimes.com/1971/05/19/archives/rizzo-wins-race-in-philadelphia-green-second-in-the-voting-for.html The New York Times June 14, 2020 May 19, 1971 Williams was the first well-known African American to run for mayor of Philadelphia.Warner Bob Is Every Philly Mayor's Race About Race? https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/is-every-philly-mayors-race-about-race/132623/ NBC10 Philadelphia June 14, 2020 March 20, 2015 After Shapp accused Rizzo of police brutality and Pennsylvania Attorney General J . Shane Creamer found Rizzo guilty of having beaten a black demonstrator in 1965, Rizzo dismissed this as a political "cheap shot". The Philadelphia Bulletin argued that the real race was not between Rizzo and Green, but between incumbent mayor Tate and governor Shapp for control of the Philadelphia Democratic Party. This newspaper declined to endorse a candidate. Results Philadelphia mayoral Democratic primary, 1971 Democratic Party (United States) Frank Rizzo 176,621 48.86 Democratic Party (United States) William J. Green III 127,902 35.38 Democratic Party (United States) Hardy Williams 45,026 12.46 Democratic Party (United States) David A. Cohen 4,176 1.16 Democratic Party (United States) James E. Poole 2,774 0.77 Democratic Party (United States) Frank Lomento 2,454 0.68 Democratic Party (United States) Albert Sprague 1,534 0.42 Democratic Party (United States) Ira Einhorn 1,022 0.28 361,509 100.00 Republican primary Candidates Declared Thacher Longstreth, At-large City Councilman and candidate for Mayor in 1955 Results Longstreth faced only nominal opposition for the nomination. Philadelphia mayoral Republican primary, 1971June 16, 1971 Final Tally Released On Primary Results The Philadelphia Inquirer 10 https://www.newspapers.com/image/180024361/ February 13, 2025 Newspapers.com Republican Party (United States) Thacher Longstreth 91670 87.32 Republican Party (United States) Irene M. Monahan 8852 8.43 Republican Party (United States) Odessa Bond 2780 2.65 Republican Party (United States) Vaiinupo J. Alailima 1676 1.60 104978 100.00 General election Candidates Clarissa Cain, candidate for City Controller in 1969 and Governor in 1970 (Constitutional) Joseph J. Frieri, candidate for Mayor in 1971 (Conservative) Thacher Longstreth, At-large City Councilman and candidate for Mayor in 1955 (Republican) Frank Rizzo, Police Commissioner and acting Mayor (Democratic) Jean Savage (Socialist Workers) George S. Taylor, perennial candidate (Socialist Labor) Campaign Rizzo, who had resigned as Police Commissioner earlier in the year, ran a "law-and-order" based campaign to appeal to white, blue-collar voters.Times Donald Janson Special to The New York 1971-11-03 RIZZO WINS RACE IN PHILADELPHIA https://www.nytimes.com/1971/11/03/archives/rizzo-wins-race-in-philadelphia-defeats-gop-opponent-in-contest-for.html 2024-02-16 The New York Times en-US 0362-4331 His campaign slogan "Rizzo means business" embodied this.Lamis Renée M. https://books.google.com/books?id=jX6YDwAAQBAJ The Realignment of Pennsylvania Politics Since 1960: Two-Party Competition in a Battleground State 2009 Penn State Press 978-0-271-08577-7 100–101 en All major unions in Philadelphia endorsed Rizzo. Rizzo pledged to hire 2,000 more police officers to restore law and order. Longstreth ran to the left of Rizzo, arguing his methods were "overkill" and racially motivated. He won the endorsement of liberal Democrats and blacks throughout the city, which made the race competitive in a city where Democrats outnumbered Republicans 2-to-1. The two largest daily newspapers in Philadelphia, as well as many other news organizations, endorsed Republican Longstreth. Longstreth also criticized Rizzo's policy proposal to ban tax increases in the next four years as an "insult to the intelligence of voters" as the city of Philadelphia faced budgetary issues at the time. While Longstreth campaigned throughout the city, Rizzo focused primarily on white, working class areas of the city. Results The general election was close, with Rizzo defeating Longstreth by about 7% of the vote. Nonetheless, Rizzo benefited from white racial backlash en route to his first mayoral victory. Rizzo would be re-elected in 1975 in a landslide, increasing his vote share to nearly 57%. Rizzo would later run for mayor as a Republican in 1987 in what would be the first mayoral loss of his career to Democrat Wilson Goode. 1971 Philadelphia mayoral electionMayors of the City of Philadelphia 1691-2000 https://www.phila.gov/PHILS/Mayorlst.htm City of Philadelphia August 22, 2026 https://web.archive.org/web/20210612104901/https://www.phila.gov/PHILS/Mayorlst.htm June 12, 2021 dead Democratic Party (United States) Frank Rizzo 394,067 52.87 Republican Party (United States) Thacher Longstreth 345,912 46.41 Constitution Party (United States) Joseph J. Frieri 2,456 0.33 Conservative Clarissa Cain 1,054 0.14 Socialist Labor Party of America George S. Taylor 948 0.13 Socialist Workers Party (United States) Jean Savage 919 0.12 745,356 100.00 References 2 1971 Philadelphia Category:1971 Pennsylvania elections Category:1971 in Philadelphia Category:November 1971 in the United States