[2] At the time, there were incumbent black mayors in three of the other five United States cities with populations above 1 million people, Los Angeles (Tom Bradley), Chicago (Harold Washington), and Detroit (Coleman Young).

[2] This contrasted with many voters' perception that Rizzo had divided the city along racial and ethnic lines.

[2] The race saw a record total of votes cast for a Democratic primary.

[2] Ron Brown, the deputy chairman of the Democratic National Committee, appeared at Goode's primary election night victory party at the Philadelphia Convention Center to promise the national party's support for the general election.

[2] The victory party was also attended by black mayors from other United States cities, including Marion Barry of Washington, D.C.[2] Goode was able to project a managerial image for himself, and was able to make an image that was "nonthreatening" to white voters.