By Jared Edgerton, Contributing Writer

With 96 percent of precincts reporting, President of the Whitman Council Mark Squilla has won the City Council district one Democratic primary election receiving a total of 7,435 votes, topping Executive Director of CeasefirePA Joe Grace with 4,009 votes, Community Organizer Jeff Hornstein with 3,390 votes and last, Attorney Vern Anastasio with 2,761 votes.

Squilla won with a surprisingly comfortable victory; in the closing days the election seemed to tighten, but in the end Squilla’s endorsements from Mayor Nutter, outgoing Councilman Frank DiCicco and Councilman Jim Kenney and his fundraising advantage was able to put him over the edge. Initially the bad weather worried the Squilla campaign but they used their tremendous volunteer advantage to rally voters across the district.

No Republicans are running for the district one position so Squilla is poised to take retiring Councilman DiCicco’s seat. Squilla spent the election night celebrating with a group of supporters.

Joe Grace called to congratulate Squilla on his victory and Hornstein used his facebook page to thank “his friends” stating that he was “proud of his campaign.”

Squilla has pledged to reform the property tax system and eliminate provisions of the DROP retirement programs. Squilla will be one of four new members to be on the City Council.