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Green on independent run: 'No coronation' for Kenney just yet

With the primary over, the biggest question in Philly politics now becomes “What about Bill?”

With the primary over, the biggest question in Philly politics now becomes "What about Bill?"

Bill Green, that is.

The former City Councilman turned School Reform Commission board member has made no secret of the fact that he has it out for primary nominee Jim Kenney. Both served on Council, but their relationship soured and effectively disintegrated when Kenney ran for mayor, long a dream of Green's, son of former Mayor Bill Green III.

It's long been rumored that the younger Green had been mulling a run as an independent candidate if Kenney won. Unlike perennial mayoral candidate Sam Katz, who laid to rest similar rumors a few weeks ago, Green was still coy about his prospects on election night.

Reached over the phone, he said the primary was "no coronation," and remarked that the historically low turnout was an indicator of voters' dissatisfaction with this year's mayoral offerings.

He alluded to an Inquirer/NBC10 poll last week that showed that 43 percent of Philadelphians thought the city was headed in the wrong direction.

"I think it says that there's a lack of enthusiasm," he said. "We have a nominee [Kenney] who received less than a majority of Democratic voters in the primary and most Philadelphians polled believe the city is going in the wrong direction. You know, to me, that says that there's demand for an alternative."

However, you analyze current voter data, history tells its own story: 1917 was the last year an independent mayor was elected.

Political consultant Larry Ceisler said that low turnout was positive for someone in Green's position.

"If turnout is historically low, does that gives someone like Bill Green the impetus to start exploring an independent run? I don't know the answer to that. My intuition would be 'yes,' but it's still really hard," he said.