Center City attorney among four seeking Philly GOP ward leaders' support for mayor

Rhashea Lynn Harmon, a 38 year-old Center City attorney, was one of four Republicans who spoke before GOP ward leaders Tuesday night at a gathering in Port Richmond.

The four, which also included Melissa Murray Bailey, Elmer Money and Sean Clark, expressed interest in seeking the Philadelphia Republican Party's nomination for mayor.

Harmon said she's running for mayor because she wants to transform Philadelphia "from a city of disempowerment to a city of empowerment."

Harmon spoke exclusively to U-Turn immediately — watch the attached video for the full interview — before she presented her case in front of the Republican City Committee at the United Republican Club in Port Richmond.

Harmon is not new to politics. In 2010, she was the GOP nominee for state senate in Pennsylvania's Eighth District. Coincidentally, she was defeated by Democratic incumbent Anthony Hardy Williams, who is one of seven candidates currently in the mayoral race for the Democratic nomination.

Should Harmon be victorious in the primary, her nomination would be historic. She'd be the first African-American female nominee for mayor of Philadelphia from either major political party. In 2011, Republican Karen Brown became the first female major-party nominee for mayor in city history, before losing to incumbent Democratic mayor Michael Nutter.

Contact John Featherman at john@featherman.com