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Six Democrats seeking to be Philadelphia's next mayor each filed well over the required 1,000 signatures on nominating petitions by Tuesday's deadline.

State Sen. Anthony Hardy Williams led the pack, announcing that his staff and volunteers had gathered signatures from 15,269 registered Democratic voters.

Former City Councilman James F. Kenney was not far behind, with 12,167 signatures.

Former Common Pleas Court Judge Nelson A. Diaz's campaign said he had 4,939 signatures.

Former State Sen. T. Milton Street Sr., who ran for mayor in 2011 after serving 26 months in federal prison for not paying taxes on $3 million in income, filed 3,261 signatures for another run.

Street needed two tries to submit his signatures Tuesday. He was turned away the first time because he had not completed all of the paperwork necessary to become a candidate.

For City Council, four of 10 incumbents in district seats will face challengers in the primary.

Kenyatta Johnson (Second District) will face real estate developer Ori Feibush.

Jannie L. Blackwell (Third District) is running against Tony Dphax King, who attempted to run against Blackwell in 2011 but was removed from the ballot.

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Six Democrats file petitions to run for Philly mayor

Barrasso: Time for Senate Democrats to Stop Blocking DHS Funding

By: barrassowyo

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Barrasso: Time for Senate Democrats to Stop Blocking DHS Funding - Video

Democrats Finally Showing Some Spine?
The Republicans cave on Department of Homeland Security funding. The Democrats finally showing spine? Cliff Schecter joins us to discuss. This clip from the Majority Report, live M-F at...

By: Sam Seder

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Democrats Finally Showing Some Spine? - Video

Top New York Democrats are whispering for the first time that Hillary Clinton may not be their presidential candidate next year. And while theyre far from agreeing on whom it might be, they do agree on one thing: It wont be Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

People in the party all hate him, one of the states best-known Democratic operatives told The Post.

A prominent Democratic elected official added, Theres an ABC factor at work here. Its Anybody But Cuomo.

In a series of interviews remarkable for their hostility toward Cuomo, several top Democrats well known to the public told The Post that should Clinton be forced to abandon her quest for the presidency by the scandal over her private State Department email accounts, there is no clear alternative for New Yorkers.

It could be a big progressive type like [Mass. Sen.] Elizabeth Warren or [Mayor Bill] de Blasio and maybe [former Maryland Gov.] Martin OMalley or [Attorney General] Eric Schneiderman theres no clear choice, said a New York City-area Democratic activist.

But who it wont be is Andrew Cuomo, the activist added.

Cuomo, who has been increasingly at odds with other Democratic elected officials, including deBlasio, Schneiderman and state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, was widely described as detached and aloof from his partys activities and, as a result, without a significant party following.

With Mario Cuomo, there was tremendous support for him within the party that he had earned, to the point where Democrats were constantly courting him to run for president, an experienced Democratic official recalled of the governors father.

To get that kind of support, you need to start early, develop relationships, have successes. But for whatever reason, Andrew Cuomo hasnt done that.

Cuomo has been widely mentioned by commentators as a possible candidate for president if Clinton doesnt run, but a series of setbacks, including the investigation by US Attorney Preet Bharara into the governors closing of the Moreland panel on corruption, as well as Cuomos disappointing showing in last years gubernatorial primary, has cut into his standing.

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Democrats: Anybody but Cuomo for president

President of the United States Barack Obama. Photo: Reuters

Washington: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's scheduled address to a joint session of Congress on March 3 is starting to look like a watershed moment for Democrats who find themselves facing a choice: side with Netanyahu, or follow the lead of President Barack Obama.

It's an open question whether Democrats will honour a decades-long tradition of bipartisan support for Israel and its leaders, or go with the White House, which has criticised the address as a breach of protocol and a threat to ongoing nuclear talks with Iran. Mr Obama has said he has no plans to meet Mr Netanyahu during the Washington visit, and Vice-President Joe Biden announced he would be out of the country during the address - though exactly where he'll be travelling remains unknown.

Dozens of Democrats could follow Mr Biden's lead, with Democrats still steaming over Speaker John Boehner's January invitation to the Israeli leader.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Photo: AP

The White House and other congressional Democrats, most notably Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, of California, have complained the invitation was made without consulting the president. And Democrats have derided the Boehner invite as an overtly political move - one that has driven a wedge between Republicans and Democrats on the staunchly bipartisan issue of supporting Israel.

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The Israel lobby is detecting the damage this address is already causing and trying to control it. On Tuesday, J Street, an Israeli advocacy group based in Washington, sent a letter to every member of Congress asking them to pressure Mr Boehner into delaying the Netanyahu speech until after the March 17 elections.

Most Democrats are expected to attend. And the White House hasn't been calling for a boycott. Even Ms Pelosi told reporters last week that, "as of now," she plans to be there.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Minority Whip Steny Hoyer suggested the decision to attend or skip was up to individual members.

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Democrats face choice between Barack Obama and Benjamin Netanyahu