It will come as no surprise when Corey O’Connor formally launches his bid for mayor this week: The Allegheny County Controller's bid for office had been widely expected all summer, and he was considered Mayor Ed Gainey’s likeliest foe even before Gainey announced his own re-election in September. O’Connor himself put reporters on notice of a campaign kickoff last Friday afternoon.
What happens after that, though, is anyone’s guess.
Not long ago, incumbent Pittsburgh mayors simply didn’t lose re-election — until Gainey foiled Mayor Bill Peduto’s re-election bid in 2021 in what was seen as further proof of a progressive takeover of the region’s politics. Now Gainey is beset by concerns about crime, homelessness, and the city’s financial situation. And he finds himself running against a candidate who is seemingly both fresh-faced and familiar.
Within Democratic circles, O’Connor’s entry comes as a relief to those frustrated by a lack of growth and lingering safety concerns — even as homicide rates have dropped well below their COVID-era peak. But some insiders fear a potentially divisive primary, at a time when Democrats are already reeling from a brutal Presidential election.
“My hope is that they're both able to focus on their records and give us a clear understanding of their plans for the future of our city,” said City Councilor Barbara Warwick. “After this past election, I think most Democrats are tired of negative attacks and eager for substantive policy conversations.”
‘I don’t know anybody that doesn’t like Corey’
If anyone was ever born and bred to run for mayor of Pittsburgh, it might be O’Connor. His father, the late Bob O’Connor, was a former city council member who served as mayor for less than a year before dying from complications of lymphoma on September 1, 2006.
The younger O’Connor attended Central Catholic High School, whose graduates include such leaders as former Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald, former Congressman Conor Lamb, and District Attorney Steven A. Zappala Jr. After attending Duquesne University, O’Connor’s career in government began with a job as a community development representative for former Congressman Mike Doyle.
In 2011, the younger O’Connor ran for his father’s old District 5 council seat and took office in 2012. And like his father, O’Connor built a reputation for an affable personal style and a down-to-earth approach to governance.
“He’s really Pittsburgh through and through, and so was his father, and so was his family,” said City Councilor Anthony Coghill. “I don’t know anybody that really doesn’t like Corey, to be honest with you.”
Though Coghill has yet to formally endorse O’Connor, he told WESA last week that O'Connor would be “the right mayor at the right time.”
O’Connor was not an especially vocal presence during his decade on council. But he pushed for the city’s 2015 paid sick leave bill, under which employers were required to give workers an hour of paid sick leave for every 35 hours they work. That measure was challenged by local employers but ultimately upheld by the state Supreme Court.
O’Connor had less luck with another initiative: a package of gun-reform bills he sponsored in the wake of the 2018 synagogue shooting just outside his district. The measures would have barred the use of large-capacity magazines, assault rifles, and accessories such as “bump stocks” used to increase a semi-automatic rifle’s rate of fire.
While passed by the city, the measures appear to be doomed by a state Supreme Court decision last month.
But Councilwoman Erika Strassburger said she admired O’Connor’s effort and passion.
“He and I sort of stayed together in those days following that terrible event,” she said. “What I noticed about him is that he became more emboldened and more emotional and angry — in a good way — about the event. That then kind of allowed us to convince each other that we had to take some sort of legislative action.”
The issue did come back to haunt O’Connor later on. When Allegheny County’s then-controller, Chelsa Wagner, stepped down from the post after winning a 2021 race for Common Pleas Judge, county executive Rich Fitzgerald recommended that Gov. Tom Wolf name O’Connor as a replacement. But O’Connor’s appointment, which required confirmation in the Republican-controlled state Senate, was delayed for months amid objections from gun-rights advocates upset about the measures.
O’Connor won a full term as controller in 2023, easily beating less-well-known and less-well-funded opponents in both the Democratic primary and the November election. During his time as County Controller, he’s initiated audits of operations like the county jail and Clean Air Fund, warned of county deficits — and begun a joint city/county audit of emergency responders with City Controller Rachel Heisler.
‘Really good work’
It’s not clear whether other candidates might jump into the race — a prospect that would arguably help Gainey in the primary by dividing the opposition vote. In the 2023 county executive race, Republicans fielded a strong general-election challenger in Joe Rockey, though it’s unclear whether they will do so in the Democratic bastion of Pittsburgh. Republican county chair Sam DeMarco said only that “a number of folks” have indicated an interest.
O’Connor’s own campaign kickoff seems to emphasize a community-forward approach: His Tuesday launch will include a press conference followed by events with supporters around the city. Little else about his message has been made clear yet, but already some Gainey foes are welcoming his entry.
“Corey isn't someone that will give you a whole bunch of slogans that don't have meaning,” said City Councilor Bob Charland, who has at times been a sharp critic of Gainey. “He knows how to deliver.”
Gainey’s defenders say that he hasn’t been given credit for accomplishments he’s had in office. Warwick, who holds O’Connor’s old council seat and would have challenged him for it if he hadn’t gone on to county office, praised Gainey for “doing really good work.” She and others praised his administration on traffic-calming improvements, and for reducing violence even at a time when police staffing has lagged.
“His progress on reducing gun violence in our Black communities [is] incredibly important,” Warwick said.
Council members generally agreed that key issues are likely to involve public safety, affordable housing, and city finances. Others, including Karen Hochberg, added another item to the list: how the mayor will address the return of Donald Trump to the White House.
Hochberg leads the 14th Ward Independent Democratic Club, a long-standing Squirrel Hill and Point Breeze group that sponsors candidate forums and makes often-influential endorsements.
“Our ward certainly has supported the idea of Pittsburgh being a sanctuary city” that limits its assistance to federal immigration authorities, she said. One key question, she said, is “how would we effectively work to protect citizens and make sure people were treated according to the Constitution and their rights?”
Strassburger said she expects people will be relying on local leaders more once Trump takes office. But she added, “The best local government is the one that most people don't have to spend their daily lives thinking about.”
That day probably won’t come until at least sometime after May 20, 2025, the date of the primary election.
Chris Potter contributed to this story.
