Incumbent Corey O’Connor is likely on his way to a full term as Allegheny County controller. He defeated his challenger in Tuesday's Democratic primary, progressive activist and O’Hara Township Auditor Darwin Leuba, for the party nomination.
No Republican candidate ran an official campaign for the office, so O’Connor is expected to win the seat in November.
In a post on Twitter shortly after 9 p.m Tuesday night, Leuba confirmed he had reached out to O’Connor to offer a concession; as of 10:30 p.m. O’Connor led Leuba by 100,000 votes.
Speaking to WESA by phone Tuesday night, O’Connor said one of his priorities during a full term in office will be holding the new Allegheny County executive accountable but also, “working with them to see where the county can do better.”
“As the controller, you see where funding goes — should it go in other directions? And talking about issues that affect each and every resident,” he said. “I think that’s the conversation that we’re going to have.”
O’Connor will have to wait until November to find out who that new county executive will be. Democratic state Rep. Sara Innamorato on Tuesday came out on top in a multi-candidate field that included Pittsburgh City Controller Michael Lamb and Allegheny County Treasurer John Weinstein to win her party’s nomination. She will face Republican Joe Rockey in the general election.
The controller pays county workers and can review operations and finances at any agency that handles county funds. They also sit on the county Retirement, Investment and Jail Oversight Boards.
Referring to his position on the jail board, O’Connor said the Allegheny County Jail would receive his attention in the four-year term ahead and that, “things there have to change.”
According to community members and jail employees, the facility has been plagued by staffing shortages in recent years, notably among medical staff. Since Jan. 2017, 27 incarcerated individuals have died while in jail custody, though a report conducted by an outside contractor last year found “nothing untoward” about deaths at the facility over the last five years.
O’Connor is the son of late Pittsburgh Mayor Bob O’Connor. He represented Squirrel Hill and surrounding areas on Pittsburgh City Council for ten years and was nominated by then-Gov. Tom Wolf to fill out the remaining term of former Controller Chelsa Wagner last year.
Brusselars bests Coghill in Allegheny County treasurer race
Elsewhere on the primary ballot, Allegheny County Democrats chose Erica Rocchi Brusselars as their candidate for county treasurer. With no official Republican candidate on the primary ballot, Brusselars is likely to take the office in November.
With about 70% of precincts in the county reporting just before 10 p.m., Brusselars led Pittsburgh City Councilor Anthony Coghill with just under 67% of votes cast. When reached by phone, Brusselars confirmed to WESA that Councilman Coghill had called to offer his concession.
“I’m very excited to move forward on this vision for transparency, modernization and collaboration for our county,” she said.
The county treasurer collects revenues from taxes and pet license fees, among others. They also invest and spend county funds, which means they oversee billions of dollars a year.
This was Brusselars’ first high-profile run for office. She has a background in pension consulting.
This is the first time in nearly 25 years that voters made a change in leadership. John Weinstein has held the office since 1999 but sought the county executive seat rather than run for reelection this year.
