Nelson Diaz Loses Chance to Become Philadelphia’s First Latino Mayor

*Of the six candidates running for the Democratic nomination in the Philadelphia Mayoral election, Nelson Diaz was the sole Latino. Philadelphia has a 13 percent Latino population. Diaz came in 5th, with 3.71 percent of the vote. VL

By Michael Oleage, Latin Post

Nelson Diaz encountered a major defeat in Philadelphia’s Democratic Party mayoral primary race as he received single-digit figures. A victory for Diaz would have provided the window of opportunity to become the city’s first Latino mayor.

Polls in Philadelphia closed at 8 p.m. EST, and as of 12 a.m. EST with 98.10 percent of the precincts reporting, Jim Kenney received 55.79 percent of the vote, which equated to 128,398 votes. Anthony Hardy Williams placed second with 26.15 percent, ahead of Lynne Abraham’s 8.39 percent.

According to the Office of the Philadelphia City Commissions, Diaz finished fifth with 3.71 percent, or 8,549 votes. He was a couple hundred votes shy of fourth place, which went to Doug Oliver with 9,792 votes, or 4.25 percent. Diaz did receive more votes than T. Milton Street Jr.

Diaz had hoped to celebrate an election night victory the Philadelphia’s Isla Verde. A little after an hour of polls closing, he conceded and congratulated Kenney via Twitter, stating, “Congratulations to our next mayor, [Jim Kenney]. On my way to address my supporters now.”

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