Is Philadelphia, Pennsylvania a Conservative City?

The political views of a city impact residents, visitors, businesses, public events, and many other aspects of community life. This is why it can be important to know the political majority within an area, especially when researching a place to move. So, is Philadelphia, Pennsylvania a conservative city, or is it liberal?

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is not a conservative city. The community and residents show strong liberalism in the voting statistics of recent elections, financial contributions made to political party campaigns, pro-abortion views, climate change efforts, and elected government officers and leaders.

These are some of the many liberal views that are advocated within Philadelphia. More information on these areas is given below. It can be used to help those researching the area know if the city would be a good fit for them and their families.

Religion

Republicans and democrats differ, as they do on most subjects, in the application of religious beliefs. Liberals choose to keep their religious and political beliefs separated from one another, meaning that their opinions in either area are unaffected by their views in the other.

Conservatives, on the other hand, are generally known to have foundational religious beliefs. They allow impacting the formation of their political views as well. Areas and cities that are highly religious are most commonly conservative in political views and beliefs.

Just under 50% of Philadelphia residents are religious, which is consistent with the Democratic majority and other indications that the city is strongly liberal.

Voting Statistics in Recent Elections

The voting statistics of recent elections show the political views and majority of a city very clearly. Presidential elections are especially accurate because they are of greater importance and lure more of the city’s residents out to voting booths. Higher participation leads to more accurate statistics based on the information gathered.

In the 2020 presidential election, the majority of Philadelphia County voted for the Democratic party candidate, showing a liberal majority within the city. An overwhelming 81.2% of participating Philadelphia voters supported the Democratic party candidate. Only 17.9% voted for the Republican party candidate, and the remaining 0.9% of voters voted Independent.

Clearly, the vast majority of Philadelphia residents voted for the Democrat party. The presidential election is an important election and is an accurate depiction of the city’s political views. This strength in the Democratic majority shows that the city is strongly liberal. In fact, Philadelphia has shown this in the past as well! Philadelphia County has voted for the Democrat candidate in every presidential election held since the year 2000.

Abortion Views

Americans were guaranteed legal rights to perform and receive abortion procedures when the original Roe v Wade decision was made in 1973. This changed, however, when the US Supreme Court overturned it. This announcement was made on June 24, 2022, and the overturning of Roe v Wade allows each individual state to pass laws protecting or denying legal abortion rights within state boundaries.

Beginning the very day of the US Supreme Court announcement, protests and rallies were organized and held in cities throughout the nation. In Philadelphia, abortion rights activists listened to speakers on JFK Boulevard and outside of the Municipal Services Building downtown. The speakers were members of the Working Families Party and Philly Democratic Socialists of America. Other abortion rights support groups were represented as well.

More than 1,000 Philadelphia residents gathered outside of Philadelphia City Hall on June 24th as well. People of all backgrounds and ages joined in chanting and yelling with large signs and posters to show their disapproval of the announcement made earlier that day.

The protests, however, did not stop the day after the announcement was made. Two rallies were planned for July 4th and drew Americans from their traditional red, white, and blue Independence Day clothing to green abortion rights clothing. Instead of watching fireworks displays with families and friends, many people carried signs through the streets.

The Women’s Liberty rally was held outside Independence Hall. It was organized by the Philadelphia Commission for Women, Philly NOW, and the Coalition of Labor Union Women. Mayor Jim Kenney was among the planned speakers as well. The second rally, “When Women are Not Free, No one is Free”, was organized by Rising Up 4 Abortion Rights.

Philadelphia residents have a large and unified voice in terms of abortion rights. The people are clearly liberal in their support of legal abortion procedures and their publicized advocation of these rights being protected by the nation.

Financial Contributions to Political Party Campaigns

In the last 3 years, there have been considerably more financial contributions to Democratic and liberal campaigns within the city of Philadelphia. There is very little support shown to conservative and Republican party campaigns in comparison to the finances and number of contributors supporting liberal ideals.

From 2018 to 2021, there have been 120,270 contributions made within Philadelphia supporting the Democratic party and liberal campaign efforts. These campaigns have received a grand total of $55,485,526 from city residents over this period of time. They average approximately $461 made per contribution.

The Republican party and conservative campaigns received only a fraction of these numbers. Over the same 3-year period, there were 6,770 contributions and a total of $3,348,834 was received by these campaigns within Philadelphia. They averaged a total of $495 per contribution over these 3 years.

These statistics clearly show that liberal views are highly favored among Philadelphia residents. In fact, Democratic party and liberal campaigns received an incredible $3,348,834 and 55,358,486 contributions more than opposing Republican party and liberal campaigns within Philadelphia in the same time frame. The city is liberal and shows this in increased support for liberal efforts and the little aid given to conservative views.

Climate Change

Liberals encourage efforts to decrease greenhouse gas emissions and minimize our carbon footprint. Large cities are generally those that have a liberal majority among citizens and often have Climate Action Plans that contain goals and plans for helping the city to be more eco-friendly.

In 2021, the Pennsylvania Climate Action Plan was released. It outlines state goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The plan is to reduce these emissions by 26% by 2025 and 80% by 2050. The baseline of levels is decided by data from the city’s gas emissions released in 2005.

Philadelphia is extremely committed to keeping the standards and goals placed by the Paris Climate Agreement, even though the US is no longer an official participant of the agreement as a nation. The city has also released a variety of Climate Action Plans over the years. Recently, the city of Philadelphia released a Philadelphia Climate Action Playbook to outline the climate actions being taken by the city. There are several larger goals that they are working toward, including:

Reducing carbon pollution through buildings and industry, transportation, and waste.
Utilizing nature to remove carbon pollution from the atmosphere.
Preparatory actions to adapt Philadelphia to an onset of a wet and hot future.

The city’s persistent efforts to combat climate change clearly reflect liberal views.

Elected Government Officials

The current mayor of Philadelphia is Jim Kenney, a member of the Democratic party. As previously stated, the Democratic party and its members support liberal ideals. Liberal cities elect liberal leaders who will advocate their political views.

Mayor Jim Kenney and other government officials in Philadelphia announced that the city would be donating $500,000 to the Abortion Liberation of PA. This is an organization that works to provide financial aid and support to those seeking emergency abortion procedures within the state of Pennsylvania. On Twitter, the mayor further promoted support of abortion procedures being readily available and easily accessible for all people.

Mayor Jim Kenney supports liberal views on abortion, but he also supports the Democratic party in terms of gun rights as well. After a tragic public shooting that occurred on the Fourth of July, the mayor made a public statement that only policemen and law enforcement officers should be allowed to legally possess firearms. This is something that he feels will help the city, state, and nation move toward the end of gun violence.

Liberals work to limit public access to owning and possessing firearms, as they believe that keeping them only in the possession of law enforcement officers will keep the overall population safer. Republicans, however, feel that the right to own and bear arms should be strongly advocated and protected. Mayor Kenny’s comments about the limitation of citizen gun possession show that he has liberal views on this subject.

The liberal residents of the city of Philadelphia elected a mayor that will advocate for their liberal beliefs and views while serving in office. Mayor Kenney is a prime example of this type of occurrence. The city is liberal, and its true colors show through its elected governmental officials.