In the weeks following the May 18 mayoral primary, which she lost to Street, Fernandez sent signals that she might not endorse anyone in the general election. As the new president of Moore College of Art and Design, she said she was going to be careful about her political statements.

She was careful. She wrote a letter to 1,500 supporters - mostly contributors - bearing yesterday's date, as a private citizen. She said that Katz "is our best choice for positive forward-looking and inclusive leadership."

She made her endorsement because "so many people have been asking me what I thought and what I wanted to do and my assessment. I decided to make it public to my supporters," she said yesterday.

She said nothing negative about Street in her letter and declined to discuss him during an interview.

Katz aggressively sought Fernandez's support for weeks following her defeat in the spring primary. Street was less aggressive, although he did have a tense lunch with her at Treetops restaurant at the Rittenhouse Hotel during the summer.

Fernandez said she chose Katz because "the tone the mayor sets is a very important factor." She chose Katz after watching the tone he set on the campaign trail.

Street spokesman Ken Snyder said: "We're puzzled because Happy Fernandez was one of the most vocal critics about recklessly slashing the wage tax and against vouchers."

The answer to the puzzle lies in her relationship with Street.

They served on City Council together for seven years. Even though both were aligned with Mayor Rendell, their relationship was distant - pragmatic and professional.

As Council president, Street did not favor Fernandez with choice committee assignments. He allowed her to chair the Transportation and Utilities Committee but not the power committees, such as finance, appropriations and rules, which he controlled.

When she first won office, he did not make her a member of the Education Committee, even though her academic career, civic activities and degrees revolved around education. She became a member of the Education Committee during her second term.

By saying what Katz is, Fernandez effectively is saying what Street is not.

She wrote: Katz is positive, forward-looking and inclusive. He will be visible and accessible. He builds coalitions. He will not micromanage.

The endorsement comes even though Fernandez and Katz differ on the issue of vouchers. Fernandez thinks vouchers would drain money from the public schools. Katz says vouchers would be one of several tools to improve the public schools.

For weeks on the campaign trail and in his television commercials, Street has used the voucher issue to define Katz as a radical Republican. In recent campaign stops, Street has said that Katz's plans to cut the wage tax will hobble the city's ability to provide services. Expect to see that in a 30-second television ad soon.

Fernandez counters that by saying that Katz is a "moderate and practical Republican." For a few of her supporters, that may be an antidote to the Street campaign.

The full effect of this endorsement is unknown. What is known is that both candidates are waging a battle for the white middle class, hoping that they can see beyond race or party labels when they vote Nov. 2.

The Fernandez endorsement, coupled with that of another Democrat, former mayoral candidate John White Jr., may give some traditionally liberal Democrats permission to consider Katz even though he is a Republican.

Fernandez is not well-acquainted with Katz. In her letter, she noted that she worked with him in the 1970s while she was a leader of the Parents Union for Public Schools and he was a member of the Board of Education. She said they have not spoken much in the last 20 years.

But he apparently was able to convince the lifelong Democrat that he is more open to her ideas than Street is.

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