'Pragmatic progressive' Maria Quiones Snchez on finding her niche in a crowded Philly mayor's race
When asked about her “pragmatic progressive” label, Maria Quiñones Sánchez said, “I like the ‘badass’ one better.”
At 54, Quiñones Sánchez recently overcame a battle with breast cancer. She said she is relying on her lived experiences as the difference maker in her run for Philadelphia mayor.
“This is not a vanity campaign. This is not a philosophical exercise for me. This is what I live every day,” she said during an exclusive interview.
She announced in October 2021 that she was diagnosed with breast cancer and had undergone a mastectomy. At the time, she said, everyone thought the diagnosis would rule her out of this year’s consequential mayoral race.
“When I was going through my cancer situation, all the political pundits were texting me and saying ‘oh, now you're out of the race.’ I said ‘no, it actually centered me more.”’
The former City Councilmember from North Philadelphia’s 7th District became one of the first candidates to resign and officially run, stepping down in September. Quiñones Sánchez – who was the city’s first Latina legislator – would not only be the first female mayor in the city’s history, but also the first person of Latino descent to hold the mayor’s office.
https://www.cityandstatepa.com/politics/2023/03/pragmatic-progressive-maria-quinones-sanchez-finding-her-niche-crowded-philly-mayors-race/384359/