This is the sixth in our series highlighting the most significant mayoral races in the commonwealth.
In a mainly democratic city Corey O’Connor he may have passed his greatest test by winning the party’s mayoral nomination against an incumbent Ed Gainey in May. The Allegheny County controller still faces a Republican challenger Tony Moreno November 4.
Corey O’Connor (D)
- Basic: Defeated Ed Gainey by 3300 votes (52.59%-47.09%)
- Experience: Allegheny County Comptroller (2023-present); Pittsburgh City Councilman (2012-22)
- Priorities
- Support inclusive and sturdy economic development efforts that will support the city’s petite businesses, invest in workforce development, attract novel business opportunities and expand the tax base.
- Increasing housing in Pittsburgh
- Implementation of strategic debt management practices and creation of a capital stabilization reserve
- Reversing the trend of losing families, children and taxpayer dollars to the suburbs.
- Promoting and supporting Pittsburgh residents who are housing insecure by adequately funding rental and housing assistance programs
- Fundraising: $367,703 from June 10 to September 15
- Education: B.A., Duquesne University ’06
- Quote: “We have a difficult job in the coming years. We have a crumbling budget, crumbling infrastructure. We need a mayor who will be honest and transparent in the face of our budget crisis.”
- Cufflinks: Website | Facebook | Twitter
Tony Moreno (R)
- Basic: Defeated Thomas West62.0% -26.6%
- Experience: 20 years as a Pittsburgh police detective; He served as a paratrooper in the US Army
- Priorities
- Ensuring proper maintenance of infrastructure and timely provision of services
- Psychiatric care is developing
- Residents and businesses are unthreatening.
- Responsible AI with the ability to store data throughout Pittsburgh will underpin job growth
- Fundraiser: $4,525 from June 9 to September 15
- Quote: “I’m going to drastically change everything we do in the future because all we see right now is that it’s failing.”
- Cufflinks: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Debates
In the News
- O’Connor and Moreno discuss city finances and public safety during a debate before the Pittsburgh mayoral race. (October 26, TribLIVE)
- Mayoral candidates are demanding broader benefits for the city from the NFL draft (October 26, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
- Candidates for mayor of Pittsburgh agree on one thing: the problem is the city’s budget (October 12, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
- Pittsburgh mayoral candidates Moreno and O’Connor exchange views and policies in a televised debate (October 8, WESA)
- Mayor of Pittsburgh (October 8, Pittsburgh City Newspaper)
- Pittsburgh Mayoral Election Guide: Moreno v. O’Connor (October 6, WESA)
- O’Connor’s campaign has 60 times more cash than its GOP rival six weeks before the mayoral vote (September 23, public source)
