O'Connor Declares Win In Democratic Endorsement For Pittsburgh Mayor

PITTSBURGH, PA — Although an official vote recount will occur Monday, Allegheny County Controller Corey O'Connor claimed victory in the Allegheny County Democratic Committee'sendorsement vote for mayor on Sunday.

Sources told WPXI-TV that O'Connor won by four votes over Mayor Ed Gainey, who is seeking a second term.

"Thank you to the Allegheny County Democratic Committee for your endorsement of my candidacy for mayor," O'Connor stated in a Facebook post. "As a lifelong Democrat, your support is a testament to my commitment to fighting for our communities and building a stronger future."

Gainey released a statement Sunday night saying that the historically close count in the vote demonstrated his strength against establishment leadership in the committee.

“If there’s anything the first months of the Trump administration have taught us, it’s that Democratic voters want leaders who will put the needs of regular people over powerful corporations, billionaires, union busting CEOs, predatory landlords and developers, and MAGA billionaires ripping Pittsburghers off," he stated. Some of our city’s Democratic leadership want to move backward to an era they were comfortable with, but I’ve spent my first term pushing us forward.

“In my first term, we’ve taken UPMC to court to make them pay their fair share, we’ve built more affordable housing than any administration in 20 years, and we are now doubling down on our fight against big developers with our Keep Pittsburgh Home Plan to stop out-of-town developers from pricing Pittsburghers out. In May, Democratic voters can keep moving forward on the transformational progress we’ve delivered and protect against Trump, his cronies, and real-estate tycoons. I welcome every person in Pittsburgh to join us in that fight.”

The primary is May 20.