Two incumbents losing seats on City Council

The big news tonight was former Councilman Jim Kenney's historic primary win for mayor, but nearly as astonishing were the results for five citywide Democratic council seats.

In a city where council seats are sometimes lifetime appointments, two incumbents appear to have lost their seats to relative political newcomers. With the vacancy left by Kenney's departure to run for mayor, that means there could be three new council members in the 17-person municipal legislature — unprecedented for a low turnout race, like tonight's, which tends to favors incumbents.

With 97 percent of the vote counted, incumbents Ed Neilson and Wilson Goode Jr, son of former mayor Wilson Goode, were trailing educational activist Helen Gym, businessman Alan Domb, and lawyer Derek Green by thousands of votes.

To be fair, the trio of political neophytes all had their strengths. Gym was well-known for her criticism of the troubled school district's funding and management, and education was a particular hot issue this year, fresh off recent state education cuts. Gym also garnered support from national teachers' unions.

The wealthy Domb poured over a half million dollars into his campaign, even triggering the city's so-called "millionaire's provision" which doubles fundraising limits in a given race if a candidate puts more than $250,000 into their own campaign.

Green was strongly backed by former Councilman Marian Tasco, who he had formerly worked for on city council and purportedly cut deals with Kenney to bring him added support.

Tasco had influence in other council races. She retired abruptly earlier this year and state Rep. and Tasco ally Cherelle Parker easily cruised into her old district.

Elsewhere, incumbents Councilmembers Maria Quinones-Sanchez and Kenyatta Johnson defeated challengers for their district seats.