County Controller Corey O'Connor barely edges out Mayor Ed Gainey for party endorsement
By a razor-thin margin, Corey O'Connor has won the Democratic Party's endorsement for the Mayor of Pittsburgh.
On Sunday, the Allegheny County Democratic Committee voted 274-270 in favor of O'Connor over incumbent Mayor Ed Gainey.
The voting results could barely be closer, so close that Mayor Gainey took it as a sign of strength, saying those counting him out in the upcoming primary should think twice.
O'Connor, however, who has an increasingly commanding lead in campaign contributions, said winning the endorsement over the incumbent is almost unprecedented.
"As a lifelong Democrat, this means a lot to Democrats across the city, running against an incumbent mayor," O'Connor said.
"We're down to four votes and we're looking at a recount," said the mayor. "If anything, that shows our momentum."
Trailing in some polls, Gainey has been stepping up the attacks, appealing to his base and portraying himself as the true progressive candidate, claiming the challenger is the candidate of "MAGA" megadonors and big developers.
"I am the real progressive here," Gainey continued. "There's no question about it. I don't have to go around and keep telling people that I'm the real progressive. My record demonstrates that."
Financially, at least, Mayor Gainey is the underdog. O'Connor is leading him in campaign contributions by a four-to-one margin. With $290,000 pouring into his campaign in February, O'Connor now has $888,000 on hand.
In comparison, Gainey raised just $108,000 in the past month and has $256,000 in the campaign chest.
The reports show Gainey has support from the firefighter and steelworkers' union and the SEIU. Meanwhile, O'Connor got broader union support from the building trades, plumbers, and paramedics. He also led with donations from developers and some conservative Republicans.
"I'm not the one being funded by big developers who don't want to build affordable housing for people in this community," Gainey said.
"We have small-dollar donors," O'Connor responded. "Small business owners across Pittsburgh who want to see change because they know we are declining, we need job growth, we need opportunity entries, and we're not seeing it from this administration. There's a lack of vision."
Now, since the Democratic Committee vote was so close, there will be a recount, but regardless of the outcome, it signals a rough and tumble primary fight from here on in.
