Word: longstreth
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...Tuesday indicated a substantial realignment of political loyalties. The two most significant elections in this regard took place in Philadelphia and Cleveland. In the city of brotherly love, "the toughest cop in the world," as Frank Rizzo calls himself, was elected Mayor. He defeated a Republican liberal, Thatcher Longstreth, by 50,000 votes out of a total of 750,000. Rizzo's strong law-and-order appeal won him widespread support from the city's ethnic groups, most notably Italians (of which Rizzo is one), Irish, and poorer Jews. Longstreth won substantial support among more wealthy Jews, white liberals...
...Longstreth made similar strides among black voters, who felt that Rizzo's slogan "Rizzo Means Business" meant that Rizzo would give them the business. Black wards gave Longstreth 70 per cent of their ballots, the highest Republican percentage since 1932. In Philadelphia, race clearly meant more than party...
...contest in Philadelphia is a study in contrasts: burly ex-Supercop Rizzo against Republican Thacher Longstreth-tall and slender, with Chestnut Hill-Princeton looks and background. Longstreth, a former executive vice president of the city's Chamber of Commerce and an unsuccessful mayoral candidate 16 years ago, was appointed by local G.O.P. Boss William Meehan. Rizzo, who rose through the ranks of the police department, won his party's nomination in a bruising primary battle (TIME, May 31), in which his main pitch was that, as police commissioner, he kept the "radicals" in check, and that he would...
...black population and the highest incidence of black gang violence in the country, Rizzo's campaign strikes on one level a blatantly racist chord, although on another it appeals to legitimate fears of whites and some blacks as well. His overwhelming strength lies in the white community. Even Longstreth forces predict that up to 25% of the city's Republicans will cross party lines to vote for Rizzo. During the primary, Rizzo did not campaign in the black neighborhoods. He has since altered his strategy only to the point of an occasional stop in a black area...
...Longstreth, on the other hand, is running hard to stay even; he begins his day greeting morning commuters and rarely retires before midnight. His only hope of victory is a massive black crossover vote to offset Rizzo's strength among white Republicans. Rizzo, however, should benefit from having nine blacks on his ticket, the most in Philadelphia history. They are candidates for lesser offices, nominated separately by the Democratic city committee. A Rizzo victory is almost assured...