Kenney was first elected on November 3, 2015, defeating his Republican rival Melissa Murray Bailey after winning the crowded Democratic primary contest by a landslide on May 19.

[4] Kenney graduated from Saint Joseph's Preparatory School in 1976 and in 1980 received a political science bachelor's degree from La Salle University.

[5] In 2010, Kenney sided with the local firefighters' union when Mayor Nutter took action to remove the collective bargaining rights of paramedics.

[9][10] While on the Philadelphia City Council, Kenney worked as a consultant at Vitetta Architects and Engineers, served on the Independence Blue Cross board, and was an adjunct professor at the University of Pennsylvania.

Incumbent Democratic Mayor Michael Nutter could not run for re-election to a third consecutive term due to the home-rule charter's two-term limit.

Kenney won the primary in a landslide with 55.83% of the vote, defeating a crowded field of five other Democratic candidates, including Anthony H. Williams and former District Attorney Lynn Abraham.

The Democratic primary was held on May 21, 2019, and he defeated former City Controller Alan Butkovitz and Pennsylvania State Senator Anthony Hardy Williams with 67% of the vote.

[13] On November 5, 2019, Kenney won re-election by defeating Billy Ciancaglini, a Philadelphia defense attorney and fellow La Salle grad, in the general election[14] with more than 80% of the vote.

Kenney promoted using tax revenue to fund universal pre-K, jobs, and development projects, which he expected would raise $400 million over five years, all the while reducing sugar intake by decreasing the demand for sugary beverages[17] Kenney's soda tax proposal was brought to the national spotlight and divided key members of the Democratic Party.

The trade organization, funded by soda companies and distributors, ran local television, radio, and newspaper advertisements against the idea, claiming that the tax would disproportionately hurt the poor.

[24] The sugary drinks tax became an issue in the 2019 mayoral election, with the American Beverage Association spending $521,196 to run advertisements opposing Kenney's reelection.

[27] In June of that year, Kenney and U.S. Representative Bob Brady negotiated a deal with Conrail, the company that owns abandoned train tracks in Kensington that became a well-known area for open-air heroin use, to clean up the property.

He cited Vancouver, stating overdose deaths have been reduced, as has the spread of diseases like HIV and hepatitis C.[29] Other city officials differ.

Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard Ross has publicly stated he is "totally adamant against" the idea, but has an open mind and a lot of questions.

"[35] Kenney, along with Democratic colleagues Representative Dwight Evans, Senator Bob Casey Jr., Councilwoman Helen Gym, and Governor Tom Wolf, joined protesters at Philadelphia International Airport after Trump signed Executive Order 13769 to ban travel from seven majority-Muslim countries.

[37] On November 6, while the US awaited the final few results of the 2020 election, Kenney gave remarks aimed at Donald Trump: "What the president needs to do is, frankly, put his big boy pants on, acknowledge that he lost, and congratulate the winner."

The statement was made in the interest of the nation moving forwards, and Kenney cited several former presidents and presidential candidates, including George H.W.

[39] In 2021, Josh Lippert, a city inspector who served on the Historic Commission resigned from his post after he said he was pressured by the Kenney Administration to vote against the designation of the 12th Street Gym and the properties adjacent to it.

The pandemic has resulted in severe social and economic disruption around the world, including the largest global recession since the Great Depression in the 1930s.

[42] In response to protests over the murder of George Floyd, Kenney had the Center City statue of Frank Rizzo removed in June 2020.

[43] Kenney was known for his outspoken feuds and reports on public figures or groups who attack his legislative agenda, image, or the city of Philadelphia.

Notably, Kenney joined the debate over the abrupt firing of a beloved faculty member at Waldron Mercy Academy in Merion who came out as gay.

"[47] Philadelphia sports radio host Howard Eskin has used his talk show to blast Kenney and his authorization of the sugary drinks tax.

In April 2017, Kenney appeared on Eskin's radio station, 94.1 WIP, to contend his claims and promote the 2017 NFL draft in Philly.

[53] Kenney first made his relationship with Santarelli public when she accompanied him to Iceland as part of a cultural exchange to mark the first-ever direct flights between Reykjavík and Philadelphia in 2017.