The Brief: Lynne Abraham Really Is Staying in the Mayor’s Race

Lynne Abraham

1. Lynne Abraham had a packed schedule of campaign events on Wednesday.

The gist: After fainting on live television Tuesday night, the former district attorney got back to campaigning for mayor Wednesday as if nothing had happened: She participated in a candidates forum in the morning at the National Museum of American Jewish History, a violence-centered debate at Murrell Dobbins High School in the afternoon, and a press conference in the evening. Along the way, a spokesman said she had lots of interviews and meetings. She even boogied on stage! (We have no comment on her — or her contenders’ — skills in that area.)

Dancing their way into the panel. #NextMayorPHL pic.twitter.com/EqBMoj1w6V

— Amy Chen (@Amyyyychen) April 8, 2015

Why it matters: No doubt aware of how much of a setback Tuesday’s collapse was, Team Abraham appears to be in full-fledged damage control mode. It is crucial that in the next few days Abraham proves her fall was an aberration and she is in good health. Young people, old people, sick people and healthy people faint, but unfortunately for Abraham, her collapse came right as she needed to regain ground in the race. And, fair or not, it put her age into sharp focus. (She is 74.) Can she stage a comeback? Or will her donors and supporters abandon her? And what happens then? It’s hard to imagine the “tough cookie” dropping out under even the worst circumstances. We’ll get answers in the weeks ahead.

2. The city’s Board of Ethics fined Anthony Williams over campaign violations.

The gist: Williams and the ethics board announced a settlement agreement Wednesday, which includes $8,000 in fines as well as other big financial consequences. But there’s a lot the two sides don’t agree on. The board says Williams violated city campaign finance regulations by mismanaging funds raised prior to his mayoral run; Team Williams says that’s simply not true.

Why it matters: Regardless of who is right, Williams is the first mayoral candidate this season to be slapped by the ethics board, and that could have political ramifications. Read Citified’s analysis here.

3. The three mayoral frontrunners promise to end stop-and-frisk.

The gist: Former City Councilman Jim Kenney, Abraham and Williams have vowed to end the controversial police practice if elected mayor. But they also want to keep Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey, who supports the policy, in charge of the force.

Why it matters: For better or worse, the city would be a much different place without stop-and-frisk. Critics say people of color are unjustly and disproportionally affected under the policy. Ramsey, though, says it has contributed to the city’s major drop in violent crime.