As candidates prepare to line up in both parties for the open races for Governor and U.S. Senate in 2022, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney is reportedly weighing a bid for either statewide contest.
According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Kenney, who reportedly first expressed interest in a run for Governor in Oct. 2019, is now also considering a run for Senate.
“The priority is the pandemic and getting everybody vaccinated. That’s his primary focus, among other issues,” a source, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations with Kenney, said to the Inquirer. “But the governor’s race and possibly the Senate race are considerations.”
Kenney added in an interview with the Inquirer that a run for higher office is “not my plan at the moment,” but that “the future remains to be seen.”
Kenney, who was comfortably reelected to a second term as mayor in November 2019, is term limited after this current four-year stretch.
Prior to the 2020 election, he launched the “Kenney PAC,” which aimed to boost progressive candidates in legislative races in Pennsylvania. This move continued to fan the flames about a possible gubernatorial run in 2022.
Kenney is just the latest name to surface as a possible 2022 contender for Senate in Pennsylvania. Lt. Gov. John Fetterman announced just over two weeks ago that he’s exploring a run for Senate. On Monday morning, Fetterman announced that his campaign is “closing in on” $1.1 million raised, since he announced his interest in possibly running for Senate.
According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, other Democrats that are mulling statewide runs include Attorney General Josh Shapiro, Reps. Brendan Boyle (D-Philadelphia) and Conor Lamb (D-Allegheny), state Sen. Sharif Street (D-Philadelphia), Montgomery County Commissioner Valerie Arkoosh, and former state Treasurer Joe Torsella. Republicans that have been mentioned as possible 2022 statewide candidates are Reps. Dan Meuser (R-Luzerne), Guy Reschenthaler (R-Allegheny), G.T. Thompson (R-Centre), and Lloyd Smucker (R-Lancaster), former Congressman Ryan Costello (R-Chester), former gubernatorial candidate Paul Mango, state Sens. Camera Bartolotta (R-Washington) and Doug Mastriano (R-Adams), former U.S. Attorney Bill McSwain, and former lieutenant governor candidate Jeff Bartos.
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9 Responses
Anything can happen in a crowded primary, and that’s the race that Kenney should pick.
Kenney will absolute lose in any statewide race. Making a good candidate for Gov like Atty Gen Shapiro run in a expensive primary for Gov would be irresponsible for Dems when the general election in 2022 will be costly enough. Kenney will not win statewide for Senate or Gov.
Please Please. Maybe we could actually retain the Senate seat or regain the Governorship. Jim Kenney will not play outside of the street where he lives
As long as it ain’t a colored.
GP has a whole raft of total and complete patriots in their candidate stable.
Kenney? Bahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah!
Who is head of the PA Dem Party right now? Whoever it is, or whoever has the stature to fulfill that eminent statesman role, needs to have a meeting with all potential candidates and figure out who is running for what. PA Dems have a few strong candidates with experience and name recognition. Most of the others need to season their first win for a bit. Don’t get ahead of yourself.
Yeah, they tried that with Katie McGinty and came away with the worst candidate in history.
I’d vote for Kenney.
GOP has a whole raft of losers, traitors, and misfits in their jackass candidate stable.