Parker Could Offer Model for How Dems Talk About Crime

The Democrat who will almost certainly become Philadelphia’s next mayor wants to hire hundreds of additional police officers and says officers should be able to stop and search pedestrians if they have a legitimate reason to do so. Those positions would seem out of step in a progressive bastion like Philadelphia. But Cherelle Parker trounced her rivals in this week’s mayoral primary with a message that centered on tougher law enforcement to combat crime and violence. While local politics don’t always align with the ideological divides that guide the national debate, Parker’s victory offers a fresh case study for Democrats as they wrestle with how to approach the issue of violent crime. Read Full Article »