The Street Of Philadelphia

A politician's odyssey from fiery liberal activist to button-downed financial conservative has brought him a step closer to becoming Philadelphia's second black mayor.

John F. Street, a former City Council president who was endorsed by Mayor Edward G. Rendell, won Tuesday's Democratic mayoral primary. He immediately became the favorite in the Nov. 2 general election to beat Republican financial consultant Sam Katz, who ran unopposed in the GOP primary.

Â"It is not just the fact that we won, it is the way that we won that makes it so important,Â" said Street, thrusting his fist into the air. Â"We have communicated a message of hope.Â"

With 97 percent of precincts reporting early Wednesday, Street had 35.5 percent of the vote, or 100,597 votes, to Marty Weinberg's 31.2 percent, or 88,564 votes. The rest were split among lesser-known Democrats.

Rendell, a popular Democrat who is credited with bringing the nation's fifth-largest city back from the brink of financial ruin, is barred from seeking a third consecutive term.

Street, 55, overcame a negative advertising blitz and his controversial past to defeat Weinberg, a longtime political power broker making his first bid for elected office.

Weinberg was virtually unknown in January but raised $5.2 million and ran a flurry of television commercials blasting Street as a dangerous hothead, tax deadbeat and do-nothing legislator.

Weinberg reminded voters of Street's past as a community activist, showing old TV footage of Street shoving a reporter and throwing a cup of water on a police officer.

The ad campaign enabled Weinberg, whose mentor and patron was the controversial late Mayor Frank Rizzo, to run neck-and-neck with Street as the primary approached.

Then Katz got into the act, running television commercials against Weinberg and other candidates. Pundits said Katz thought he had a better chance of beating Street than the other rivals.

Weinberg blamed his defeat on those ads.

Â"It was a close election, and I think that Sam Katz achieved what he wanted to do, which was to run against John Street,Â" Weinberg said early Wednesday.

The 49-year-old Katz pledged to run an issues-oriented campaign.

Â"This will be a campaign about issues, about neighborhoods, about the quality of our lives and about our economic future,Â" said Katz, who made unsuccessful primary runs for mayor in 1991 and governor in 1994.

Katz took in $2.2 million and spent only $941,000, leaving him well-positioned to mount an aggressive campaign. Street raised and spent much of his $3.4 million.

Yet Katz also faces a city in which Democrats dominate: Registered Republicans are outnumbered by a 7-2 ratio. And race is certain to play a role in a city where more than 40 percent of its 1.5 million residents are black.

Eleanor Rodriguez, who lives in the north Philadelphia neighborhood where Street greeted supporters Wednesday morning, predicted Street will win despite Weinbergs harsh portrayal.

Â"There's so many other people pulling behind him. He's got Rendell,Â" Mrs. Rodriguez said. Â"God bless Street. May he be a good mayor.Â"