Harrisburg's incumbent mayor poised to claim second term after fierce primary battle
Incumbent Harrisburg Mayor Wanda Williams appears to have clinched the Democratic nomination in her reelection bid, finishing with a slim lead over her closest rival.
Preliminary results in the May 20 primary election showed Williams capturing 35% of the roughly 4,900 votes cast in the mayoral contest, putting her 83 votes ahead of City Treasurer Dan Miller. Further behind were City Councilman Lamont Jones, community activist Tone Cook and repeat candidate Lewis Butts Jr.
More: Tim Barker wins Republican primary for York County District Attorney
With no Republican on the primary ballot, the winner of the Democratic nomination will almost certainly win the overall mayoral contest. Williams declared victory in the contest the night of May 20.
During the campaign, Williams presented herself as the only candidate with enough government experience and understanding for the job. Before her election as Harrisburg mayor in 2021, Williams spent several years on the school board and more than 15 years on the city council.
However, her Democratic primary opponents accused her of not doing enough on crime, affordable housing and business development during her four-year term. She also faced criticism for delays in restoring the historic Broad Street Market, which was damaged by a fire in the summer of 2023. The brick building that was gutted by the blaze remains closed, and repair work on it isn't expected to begin until this fall.
Williams has pointed blame at the city council, which she said has bogged down progress on certain priorities.
Bethany Rodgers is a USA TODAY Network Pennsylvania investigative journalist.
This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: Harrisburg PA mayor appears to earn primary win in reelection bid
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