Squilla, 64, has represented the district for 14 years. He said he would consider an offer but has not ruled out seeking another term. “I’m running,” he said, adding that he is continuing to hold fundraisers.

The authority’s board is also said to be considering Keola Harrington, its current chief financial officer. PPA spokesperson Martin O’Rourke said the selection process is ongoing. The six-member board is appointed by the state and is bipartisan, creating the possibility of deadlocks.

The leadership position became vacant after Rich Lazer left at the end of May to head the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority. Gabe Roberts, the PPA’s deputy director, has served as interim executive director since June.

If Squilla resigns in the coming months to take the job, a special election would likely be held to fill the remainder of his Council term, which ends in January 2028. Democratic ward leaders would choose the party’s nominee for that contest. Democrats have a large registration advantage in the district, which includes East Passyunk, Queen Village, Fishtown and Northern Liberties.

The district is also emerging as a potential battleground for the full term beginning in 2028. Will Gross, a democratic socialist, South Philadelphia ward leader and owner of OX Coffee in Queen Village, has already launched a campaign for the Democratic nomination. Gross declined to comment on the possibility of Squilla taking the PPA job.

Rue Landau, a first-term at-large councilmember who lives in the district, is another possible contender if Squilla does not run. Party figures have encouraged her to consider a district campaign, according to a person familiar with the discussions. A spokesperson for Landau declined to comment on her plans.

Six of the district’s seven ward leaders now have ties to the progressive movement. Sam Arnold, leader of the South Philadelphia-based 1st Ward, said there is a “very good possibility” that most of the district’s wards would support Gross, though his ward will not endorse a Council candidate until spring.

The ward organization’s influence could be significant: Democratic City Committee endorsements are decided by ward leaders. Those leaders are elected by Democratic committeepeople, who are chosen by voters in their precincts. Progressives made gains in ward elections this summer but remain short of a majority among the city’s 69 ward leaders.

Squilla, first elected in 2011, is generally considered a centrist Democrat and has close ties to building trades unions and party leaders. He has also backed environmental measures. His support for the proposed 76ers arena near Chinatown, however, made him a target of progressive activists. Squilla sponsored legislation authorizing the Center City project, which City Council approved in late 2024. The team later abandoned that plan and announced it would pursue a new arena in South Philadelphia with Comcast Spectacor.

Brady said he expects Squilla to win if he seeks a fifth four-year term. He also praised Gross as a potential candidate, calling him a hard worker and a friend to the party.

The PPA opening therefore carries political consequences beyond the authority’s leadership: Squilla’s decision could determine whether progressives get a clear opening to compete for a district seat, and who controls the party’s endorsement process in a closely watched Council race.