Philadelphia Mayor Endorses Rawlings-Blake

Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake announced Thursday that Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter has endorsed her candidacy in the 2011 election, the third in a string of endorsements over the past month.

Rawlings-Blake has already received endorsements from Maryland Democratic Party stalwarts Rep. Elijah Cummings and Sen. Barbara Mikulski.

Mathew Crenson, a political science professor at Johns Hopkins University, said having endorsements from known politicians lends credibility to Rawlings-Blake's leadership.

Crenson, who disclosed contributing money to potential candidate Councilman Carl Stokes, said the credibility helps the mayor because she has yet to prove she can be elected mayor. Rawlings-Blake was appointed to the position in February 2010 after former Mayor Sheila Dixon resigned as part of a criminal plea deal.

"[The endorsements help] especially since the people challenging her are by no means political lightweights," Crenson said.

So far, Rawlings-Blake is facing challenges from three Democratic candidates: Otis Rolley, a former city planning director; Jody Landers, executive vice president of the Greater Baltimore Board of Realtors; and Clerk of the Circuit Court Frank Conaway Sr.