WEST PHILADELPHIA. Sharif Street is still trying to figure out how to use his last name — and the image his father has given it.
For a third time, he is throwing it into the political ring — this time challenging freshman incumbent state Rep. Vanessa Brown in the 190th District in the May 19 primary. The district includes parts of North Philadelphia and Fairmount. He lives with his wife and two children in Belmont.
“There are some people predisposed to be favorable to it and some are predisposed to be against me,” Street, 36, said in an interview at his West Philadelphia campaign office. “But in general, I think the people in the 190th respect my family’s contributions.”
But what the oldest son of former Mayor John Street gains in fame, he also loses in notoriety. Some political observers believe he lost any chance at an at-large City Council seat in 2007 when a reform-touting mayoral candidate named Michael Nutter became front-runner that year. Since-jailed Uncle Milton Street also ran in that Council race.
“I told him when Nutter started to become front runner for mayor, people would not go to the election booth and vote for Nutter, then down the list of Council candidates and vote for him,” political consultant Larry Ceisler said. “The two votes are mutually exclusive.”
