MAYOR

Councilman Jim Kenney to Resign; Is Mayoral Run Next?

Philadelphia City Councilman Jim Kenney released a statement Tuesday indicating he will formally resign Thursday, fueling speculation that he will be running for Philly's mayor in the upcoming November election.

Kenney will deliver his farewell address Thursday at his final City Council session, according to a news release.

The life-long South Philly resident had made headlines recently for sponsoring legislation that relaxed punishments for marijuana possession and introducing a bill that closes a loophole in hate crime laws.

The 56-year-old Democrat, who joined City Council in 1992, has yet to announce his intention to run for mayor. But city regulations require any mayoral candidate to resign from their Council seat.

So far, three candidates have officially announced they will run for mayor: former Philadelphia district attorney Lynne Abraham, State Senator Anthony Williams and former Philly judge Nelson Diaz.

Several others indicated interest in taking over Mayor Michael Nutter's office, like Philadelphia's City Controller Alan Butkovitz, Terry Gillen and Ken Trujillo, a former Philadelphia City Solicitor, but have since dropped out of the race.

City Councilman Darrell Clarke, who many speculated would run, announced early this month he would be seeking a fifth term representing the 5th district in council.

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