PHILADELPHIA — Northeast Philadelphia native Marc Rayfield is a registered Democrat, considers himself a liberal, and voted for Democrats John Fetterman (for Senate) and Josh Shapiro (for governor) in 2022 and for Joe Biden in 2020. Now, though, he says he finds himself estranged from the party due to rising crime and homelessness in his beloved city of Philadelphia.

Because of his crime concerns, Rayfield is now doing something he thought he’d never do in his life: buying a gun and going to target practice. So is his wife.