South Philly real estate agent running for at-large City Council seat

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 Realtor and civic activist Barbara Capozzi speaks at a South Philly meeting in 2014.(Brad Larrison/for NewsWorks)

Realtor and civic activist Barbara Capozzi speaks at a South Philly meeting in 2014.(Brad Larrison/for NewsWorks)

The latest candidate for an at-large City Council seat is a familiar name in South Philadelphia. 

Realtor and civic activist Barbara Capozzi says she’s running to make sure South Philly has a voice to replace Jim Kenney, who left Council to run for mayor.

“Jim Kenney naturally creates a vacuum for South Philadelphia, councilman-at-large is for the whole city, of course, but the four incumbents are either Center City or immediately north of Market [Street],” she said. 

Capozzi says finding the necessary thousand voters to sign her nominating petitions has been an experience.

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“It’s an enormous effort, but I’ve actually enjoyed it because it’s brought me to different places,” she said. “I’m not so familiar with Bustleton Avenue;  I was there the other night and it was fascinating to me.”

Capozzi, who challenged district Councilman Kenyatta Johnson four years ago and lost by a narrow margin, said she wouldn’t run against a party incumbent.

 

With Kenney’s departure, Philly will get at least one new at-large Council member.

 

And the Democratic primary field is getting crowded.  In addition to the incumbents, Sherrie Cohen, Helen Gym, Paul Steinke, Isaiah Thomas and Tom Wyatt are running.  

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