The next county executive will face a mostly familiar set of faces on Allegheny County Council next year, despite the election of District 5 councilor Dan Grzybek to represent the county’s South Hills suburbs.
County council members serve staggered terms, and those races are typically overshadowed by countywide contests — especially in 2023, where a change in the county’s top elected office was inevitable. Council’s two at-large members, Republican Sam DeMarco and Democrat Bethany Hallam, were essentially assured of victory Tuesday evening.
Two Pittsburgh-centered districts on this year’s ballot saw spirited yet unsuccessful challenges from Democratic socialists. Other contests generated less attention and debate, but the winners now serve four-year terms on a body that must pass the county’s budget and that, in recent years, has begun charting policy on issues that include countywide sick leave requirements and a prohibition on drilling for natural gas under county parks.
District 2
Incumbent Republican Suzanne Filiaggi won reelection over Democrat Todd Hamer in the race for the District 2 seat on county council.
The district includes North Hills suburbs including McCandless and Franklin Park, as well as Ohio Valley communities such as Sewickley. It has been a Republican stronghold for years, but Democrats in other races have benefited from changing demographics in some parts of the district.
And with the exception of DeMarco, whose at-large seat is essentially guaranteed for the GOP under the county charter, Filiaggi has been the lone Republican on county council.
She has held the seat since early 2022, when she was appointed to replace Cindy Kirk, after Kirk resigned for an unsuccessful run for the state House of Representatives. Filiaggi’s supporters during the campaign included the Republican Committee of Allegheny County, which gave her campaign $2,000, and Firearm Owners Against Crime.
Newcomer Hamer has been on Sewickley Council since 2022. He was endorsed by the Allegheny-Fayette Central Labor Council.
District 5
Democrat Dan Grzybek won the District 5 seat on County Council Tuesday, marking the start of a new era of leadership for the county’s South Hills suburbs of Bethel Park, Dormont, Mt. Lebanon and Upper St. Clair.
Democrat Tom Duerr, who will depart council at the end of the current term, had planned to run for state Senate but later decided against it.
For Republicans, the open seat was viewed as a chance to regain some lost influence on the heavily Democratic council: Prior to Duerr, the seat was held by the GOP’s Sue Means.
Mike Embrescia campaigned as a business-minded moderate who would act as a check on progressive overreach by Democrats, while Grzybek allied with a faction of Democrats who’ve pushed for progressive policies and a more expansive role for council.
The two candidates disagreed on the role that council should play in setting the county’s direction; Gryzbek said he supports increasing the resources available to council.
District 6
Incumbent Democrat John Palmiere held the District 6 council seat, defeating Republican challenger Sean McGrath.
Palmiere brushed aside a Republican challenger four years ago. He did it again this time, albeit by only about 11%.
Palmiere has been a quiet presence on council for 12 years, representing bedroom communities including Baldwin, Brentwood, Castle Shannon, and Pleasant Hills. In his most recent term, he's been part of a council coalition that has often united against county executive and fellow Democrat Rich Fitzgerald on such issues as fracking in county parks.
District 11
Incumbent Democrat Paul Klein won a three-way race for District 11’s seat on council against Republican Eileen Lo Cunningham and independent Robert McCune.
The district includes one of the region’s Democratic bastions: the East End neighborhoods of Pittsburgh that include Squirrel Hill, Shadyside, and Point Breeze. It also includes a number of nearby working-class communities including Carrick, Hazelwood, and the boroughs of Mt. Oliver and Homestead.
Klein has served on council since 2016, and he's supported a number of liberal initiatives, like creating a county Office of Sustainability and a county police review board.
