Easy victory for Neilson in open Philly City Council race

As expected, the Democratic candidate won the special election for an at-large seat in Philadelphia City Council.

Since his party outnumbers Republicans 6-to-1 in Philadelphia, state Rep. Ed Neilson handily defeated Matt Wolfe of the GOP and Nikki Allen Poe, the Libertarian.

Neilson said he fought as if he was running behind the whole time.

“I worked hard and went across the city through this whole campaign I went to nearly 100 divisions, I went all over, Northeast to Germantown, Mt Airy I went all over I’m excited I worked hard I took nothing for granted,” he said.

Neilson said school funding will be his first priority once he’s sworn into the job.

“As we go through this transition I want to work with Council President Clarke and members of the state senate and state house and to make sure that we get a fair funding formula and get some money for the schools,” he said.

Neilson will have to wait for the results to be certified before he can be sworn into office and he will have to resign his state house seat as well.  That’s no big sacrifice since his district is moving to another part of Pennsylvania as part of redrawing district boundaries.

He is filling out the term left behind when Bill Green departed City Council to run the School Reform Commission.  Neilson will have to run again next year if he wants a full term.