Democrat Corey O’Connor jumped out to a commanding early lead in Pittsburgh’s mayoral election Tuesday over his Republican rival Tony Moreno.
O’Connor received more than 90% of mail-in and absentee votes, compared to just under 8% for Moreno, according to unofficial election results.
The early results were so decisive that The Associated Press called the race for O’Connor before 8:30 p.m. — less than a half-hour after polls closed and even before any in-person ballots had been tabulated.
That news prompted cheers from about 300 O’Connor supporters gathered at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers union hall in Pittsburgh’s South Side neighborhood.
The winner of the race will replace incumbent Mayor Ed Gainey, who O’Connor defeated in the Democratic primary in May.
O’Connor, 41, of Point Breeze, is Allegheny County’s controller. A former city councilman, he is the son of the late Mayor Bob O’Connor.
Moreno, 57, of Brighton Heights, is a retired city police officer. He came in third in the 2021 Democratic mayoral primary before running as a Republican in the general election, losing to Gainey.
On the campaign trail, O’Connor said the city needs new leadership. He vowed to rein in city spending amid financial challenges and convince the city’s biggest nonprofits to help pay for important expenses, like new ambulances.
His vision for the city focuses on incentivizing economic growth and making Pittsburgh a place where people would want to raise their families.
O’Connor said he will prioritize hiring a permanent police chief after the bureau has seen five different top cops under Gainey’s tenure.
Moreno campaigned on being a changemaker who would bring a different approach to city hall after decades of Democratic leadership.
Moreno pledged to grow the police bureau, cut back on spending and clamp down on homeless encampments.
In a city where Democrats hold an overwhelming voter registration edge, O’Connor has been viewed as the strong favorite in the mayoral race. He has steadily outpaced Moreno in fundraising. As of the last campaign finance filing deadline on Oct. 20, O’Connor had over $531,000 compared to Moreno’s roughly $5,000.
Julia Burdelski is a TribLive reporter covering Pittsburgh City Hall and other news in and around Pittsburgh. A La Roche University graduate, she joined the Trib in 2020. She can be reached at [email protected].
