Christy Brady leads Democratic primary race for city controller

Christy Brady had a comfortable lead of more than 14 percentage points in the Democratic primary for City Controller with 94% of the vote counted late Wednesday afternoon. Brady’s challengers conceded Wednesday, and her primary victory likely cements her role as the next elected controller in a city where registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by 7 to 1 .

Brady, no relation to former congressman and Democratic Party chair Bob Brady, was favored to win and had the backing of the party and two unions representing city government employees as well as several groups representing building trade laborers.

While Brady was up, she wasn’t quite ready to claim victory yet. “I’ve never done this before,” she said.

“I’m very excited,” she said. “I’m thrilled that everyone believed in my abilities and I’m grateful for everyone that helped me.”

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In a statement posted to social media, public health researcher Alexandra Hunt thanked her campaign staff and volunteers, and congratulated Brady on her win.

Hunt, who ran an at times adversarial campaign that attacked a sitting sheriff, still took the time to get a dig in at Brady, though.

”It’s hard to tell how she will operate as city controller,” Hunt wrote, “seeing as during her appointment to this role, she spent it suing the City of Philadelphia … in an attempt to keep herself in this office.”

In January, after her former boss Rebecca Rhynhart stepped down to run an unsuccessful bid for mayor, Brady sued the city over whether she’d have to step down from her post to run a political campaign. Though she was appointed and not elected, a judge ruled that Brady did have to resign.

Hunt came in second place and trailed Brady by more than 14 percentage points.

Reached Wednesday, John Thomas, who trailed Brady by more than 20 percentage points, said he was conceding the race.

“I’m just going to congratulate her on running a good race,” he said on his plans to reach out to Brady.

Thomas worked in the Controller’s Office for 12 years, including as a deputy controller, before retiring to operate a construction consulting company.

Brady worked at the Controller’s Office for nearly three decades before making her bid to serve as the city’s chief financial officer. She rose from an entry-level position to a deputy controller before Mayor Jim Kenney appointed her acting controller in November.

Chet Herbet, Brady’s uncle who got Brady her first job in the Controller’s Office, said he’s confident his niece will do well in the role.

“She was very taken to the job,” said Herbert, who worked in the office as an accountant for 37 years. “I knew she’d be very good at it because she’s very intelligent, she’s very educated, and she wanted to learn.”

Cousin Lauren Dana David, Herbert’s daughter, said Brady is not political.

“So it’s a whole new beginning for Christie, because she was never politically motivated,” David said. “But she just found herself at the head of the office.”

David recounted her connection to Brady, remembering how Brady moved in with their grandparents after graduating from college. Their grandfather was a sprinkler fitter who operated a union contracting company, forging Brady’s connection with organized labor.

The elected officials are the ones who make the news, but Brady has an advantage with experience on the ground, her uncle said.

“The civil service people are there to do a job, and that’s the work Christy was doing,” said Herbert. “She will do an excellent job.”

The labor presence was strong at Brady’s election night party. She was endorsed by the Building Trades Council, the AFL-CIO, and both unions representing city employees.

Daniel Bauder, president of the Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO, said an endorsement for Brady was nearly unanimous.

“Christy was very impressive with both her background, but also her depth of knowledge about the office, what it does and what it can do, especially to help working people,” said Bauder.

David Clavin is the political chair for the Sprinkler Fitters Local 692. “It’s the power of organized labor,” he said of their support for Brady. “We get it out.”

At her candidacy announcement in February, Brady said she planned to prioritize public safety and government accountability.

She will face Republican Aaron Bashir in November’s general election.