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PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A former city councilman who promised to end a pay-to-play culture at City Hall won the Democratic mayoral nomination Tuesday by beating a big-spending business executive and two popular congressmen.
Michael Nutter, 49, emerged from a five-man field after spending months criticizing Mayor John F. Street for failing to do enough to reduce the murder rate and to end a culture of corruption that netted the convictions of nearly two dozen people, many with close ties to the mayor.
He gambled that voters would seize on his proposal to use “stop-and-frisk” tactics in high-crime neighborhoods to battle the surging murder rate.
Nutter, who gave up his council seat to run for mayor, had 35 percent of the vote with 82 percent of precincts reporting. Businessman Tom Knox had 27 percent, followed by U.S. Reps. Bob Brady and Chaka Fattah.
Nutter will be the overwhelming favorite in November.
Nearly four of five city voters are Democrats and the city has not elected a Republican mayor in nearly 60 years.
Business leader Al Taubenberger was unopposed in the Republican primary.