District 7 has been without a City Council representative since Patrick Dowd vacated the seat in July to serve as executive director of the new nonprofit Allies for Children.
Though it seemed like it could have been a close race between Democrat Deb Gross and Independent Tony Ceoffe, her party's nomination and the endorsement of now mayor-elect Bill Peduto served as enough to push Gross over the top.
In the end, Gross was able to carry the district with more than 60 percent of the vote.
As election results came in, Gross and her campaign team gathered with around 100 supporters at Crazy Mocha on Baum Boulevard.
In her acceptance speech, the councilwoman-elect showed her appreciation for those who helped her clinch the victory.
“I’m really honored to have your support; I was honored to have the Democratic Committee’s support early on,” Gross said. “So many fabulous labor partners, the laborers were the first ones on board.”
Gross said she looks forward to working with constituents to help them achieve the changes they want to see in their neighborhoods.
“They each have different needs, but we really want to bring the attention and the resources of the city back to the neighborhoods,” Gross said. “Not just on big developments, but what they need street by street.”
In addition to securing Peduto’s endorsement, Gross shared a chief political strategist and corps of volunteers with the future mayor.
Ceoffe watched election results come in with his supporters at The Saloon on Butler Street in Lawrenceville. Though he garnered only 25 percent of the vote, he said he was proud of the effort.
“We’ve knocked on thousands and thousands of doors, made thousands of phone calls, grassroots campaigning, wonderful community outreach and support from the leaders in our communities,” Ceoffe said. “To be honest, I don’t think there’s anything we could have done differently to change the outcome.”
