Editing Ed Rendell (section)

== Later Career ==

Rendell left office in 2000 due to term limits. He served as chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 2000 to 2001, then won election as Governor of Pennsylvania in 2002, serving two terms until 2011. As governor, he focused on education funding, economic development, and infrastructure investment. His gubernatorial tenure was less transformative than his mayoral years, constrained by a Republican legislature and economic challenges. After leaving the governorship, Rendell became a political commentator and public speaker, remaining a visible presence in Pennsylvania politics.<ref name="weigley"/>

Rendell's mayoral legacy remains Philadelphia's most successful period of governance in recent decades. He demonstrated that decline was not inevitable, that leadership mattered, and that cities could revive given favorable conditions and effective management. His tenure did not solve all problems—no administration could—but it changed Philadelphia's trajectory and proved that the city could compete for investment and residents. The Philadelphia that exists in the 21st century, with its revitalized Center City and ongoing neighborhood challenges, bears Rendell's imprint.<ref name="bissinger"/>