As Katie McGinty’s campaign for U.S. Senate goes into its fifth week, endorsements continue to snowball for her.
A host of elected officials in the Pittsburgh area announced their support for McGinty on Friday, including Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto, Congressman Mike Doyle, PA Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa and House Democratic Leader Frank Dermody, among many others.
Peduto said McGinty is an “extremely well-qualified” candidate, while Doyle lauded her for standing up for the middle class and manufacturing jobs in the state.
McGinty was on hand to accept their endorsements after being invited to walk in the city’s Labor Day Parade by the United Steelworkers union, according to a Tribune Review report.
“Pittsburgh, Allegheny County and Western Pennsylvania have received national acclaim because these leaders are working together to grow the economy and rebuild the middle class,” McGinty said. “They have a progressive vision for the region and work collaboratively to get things done. I’m a problem solver, and their approach to governing is the same approach that I want to take to Washington.”
Some news outlets have speculated her late entry into the Senate race may doom her campaign, with Sen. Pat Toomey and Joe Sestak stockpiling money and support since Toomey’s election over Sestak in 2010. McGinty stepped down as Gov. Tom Wolf’s chief of staff at the beginning of August to pursue Toomey’s seat in the U.S. Senate.
McGinty should be able to make up financial ground on Sestak – the former congressman raised only $728,000 in the second quarter of the year – but may have trouble catching up to Toomey, who is sitting on more than $8.3 million for his re-election bid.
The full list of McGinty Allegheny County endorsers is included below:
Elected Officials
Congressman Mike Doyle
Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald
Mayor Bill Peduto
Senate Minority Leader Jay Costa
House Minority Leader Frank Dermody
State Senator Jim Brewster
State Senator Wayne Fontana
State Representative Tony DeLuca
State Representative Paul Costa
State Representative Dom Costa
State Representative Dan Deasy
State Representative Ed Gainey
State Representative Mark Gergely
State Representative Bill Kortz
State Representative Joe Markosek
State Representative Dan Frankel
John DeFazio, Allegheny County Council
Mike Finnerty, Allegheny County Council
Nick Futules, Allegheny County Council
Bob Macey, Allegheny County Council
Chuck Martoni, Allegheny County Council
John F. Palmiere, Allegheny County Council
Bruce Kraus, Pittsburgh City Council President
Dan Gilman, Pittsburgh City Council
Theresa Kail-Smith, Pittsburgh City Council
Daniel Lavelle, Pittsburgh City Council
Corey O’Connor, Pittsburgh City Council
Natalia Rudiak, Pittsburgh City Council
Local Democratic Chairs
Nancy Mills, Allegheny County Democratic Committee
Austin Davis, Vice Chair, Allegheny County Democratic Committee
Marianne Conley, Baldwin Borough Democratic Committee
Jane Braunlich, Bellevue Democratic Committee
Reno Virgili, Bethel Park Democratic Committee
William Zachery, Braddock Democratic Committee
Tom Kosmala, Bradford Woods Democratic Committee
Joseph R. Kleppick, East McKeesport Democratic Committee
Norma Jean McCuen, Findlay Township Democratic Committee
Reid Goldberg, Fox Chapel Democratic Committee
Jim Vitale, Moon Democratic Committee
Michele Zmijanac, Mt. Lebanon Democratic Committee
Shannon Barkley, O’Hara Township Democratic Committee
Orelio Vecchio, Pitcairn Democratic Committee
Tonya Payne, Pittsburgh 1st Ward Democratic Committee
Fred Wilburn, Pittsburgh 3rd Ward Democratic Committee
Walter Anderson, Pittsburgh 5th Ward Democratic Committee
Jeanne Cark, Pittsburgh 7th Ward Democratic Committee
Vanessa Turpin, Pittsburgh 8th Ward Democratic Committee
Ron Deutsch, Pittsburgh 9th Ward Democratic Committee
Bob Palmosina, Pittsburgh 20th Ward Democratic Committee
Terry Matuszak, Pittsburgh 30th Ward Democratic Committee
Bobby Grieco, Pittsburgh 32nd Ward Democratic Committee
John Wovchko, Robinson Township Democratic Committee
Frances M. Salachup, Ross Township Democratic Committee
Dave Buchewicz, South Park Township Democratic Committee
Frank Zieger, Stowe Township Democratic Committee
William Kelly, Turtle Creek Democratic Committee
Angie Gialloreto, Wilkins Township Democratic Committee
Pennsylvania Democratic State Committee
Joan Buchewicz
Barbara Ernsberger
Rob Frank
Mary Gibson
Jessica McCurdy
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21 Responses
Observer #2-
The Philly committee people will hand out the sample ballots that Brady and the Ward leaders give them. Sestak’s name will not be on them.
As for Philly/Allegheny, committee members will be told how to vote for an endorsement, but they will then exercise their own “free will” as far as working their neighborhood for a candidate they don’t like who was forced upon them from the top. So, your calculations need to factor in the likelihood that the rank and file–whom I repeatedly suggest, like Sestak– will do what they want the day after state committee adjourns. Among voters, Sestak is strong in the “T” and very capable in the areas you mention. After all, the voters are not exactly tuned into Marcel Rendell, etc.
Observer #2-
Delco can’t lick Sestak’s @ss vigorously enough. So, he’ll get that endorsement.
Sestak is not popular in Philly (and Brady and Rendell will push for McGinty).
Marcel will absolutely guarantee that McGinty is the Montco endorsed candidate. Sestak will be lucky if Marcel tells him when the endorsement meeting is (or lets him in the door).
McGinty is from Chester.
Wolf is from York.
In Westmoreland, Sestak is about as popular as a case of herpes.
There are about 3.4 million Dems. We can expect about 1.2 million to vote in the primary (nearly 2 million if Bernie is still in the race).
The number of registered Dems by county:
Delco 147,553 will endorse Sestak
Philly 686,682 Will endorse McGinty
Allegheny 439,096 Will endorse McGinty
Montco 220,419 Will endorse McGinty
Chester 107,351 Will endorse McGinty
Westmoreland 98,294 Will endorse McGinty
York 79,532 Will endorse McGinty
Lancaster 80,873 ???
Erie 83,436 ???
You apparently don’t know what other counties favor: Sestak!
He earned rank and file’s loyalty. McG is a puppet. 5 committee people. fro the West? Really. I bet the “insurgent” Marcel will try to have a “no endorsement-open primary” because he and Rendell know McG can’t overcome Sestak’s popularity within state committee (emphasize: rank and file–not a few chairpeople). Sestak has the loyalty of 67 county rank and file—-and except for those counties with a strong “boss” who force their people to vote “their way” or the highway—McG loses, Sestak wins. Simple equation. Sestak already has the endorsement of Cumberland County and other counties do not endorse. So, go figure. Philly and Pittsburgh/Montgomery—all controlled by bosses—they like to run the show but do not engender loyalty or respect………more to come.
Observer #2-
This is 5 state committee people in Allegheny (not out of the whole organization and other counties). These are also early endorsements, with more to follow. It’s going to be indicative of nearly universal support. Sestak will get endorsement of Delco, but little else.
I’ve seen her debate and Sestak debate. She is 100 times better than Sestak on his best day.
Sestak cannot win a rematch against Toomey. 2010 was an anti-incumbency year. 2016 isn’t shaping up to be a wave election of any kind, which naturally benefits incumbents. 2016 will most likely be similar to 2000, when Rick Santorum won his second term during a presidential year by defeating Ron Klink. Pennsylvania voters tend to split their votes. In 2000, they voted for Al Gore, but reelected Rick Santorum. In 2014, they voted for Tom Wolf, but reelected a GOP majority in the State House and Senate. Joe Sestak is the Ron Klink of 2016. Sestak does not have broad support among Pennsylvanians. He’s been running an endless campaign for 6+ years and still polls poorly and can’t fundraise worth a dime. Pennsylvanians simply do not trust Mr. Sestak which makes total sense considering he comes accross as a complete phony.
Katie McGinty is the only chance for Democrats to defeat Pat Toomey and in doing so reclaim the Democratic majority in the US Senate. As a environmental leader and job creator who served in the Clinton White House Katie McGinty is a dream candidate for Democrats. As Allegheny County Democratic Chairwoman Nancy Mills said, in 2016 Pennsylvanians are going to elect our first woman United States Senator, Katie McGinty.
5 state committee people for McG= lightweight. No success ever in her political endeavors=lightweight. Her speaking ability=lightweight. We need to beat Toomey, and a light weight cannot beat Toomey. The announcement, itself a public relations stunt, signals desperation and is indicative of a lightweight candidate.
Observer #2-
If Sestak were anymore of a lightweight, he would blow away back to his home in Virginia.
McG is out of her league, a real light-weight. Sestak will beat her and then hopefully beat Toomey. Maybe McG will run for President next time—that’s all that’s left for this ladder-climbing, unsuccessful wannabe. Or, CEO of a fracking corporation?
CORRECTION: Allegheny County Dem. Chair Nancy Mills and Philly Dem. Chair Bob Brady are supporting Katie McGinty for Senate, along with former Governor Ed Rendell and hopefully our current Governor Tom Wolf and soon to be State Dem. Chair Marcel Groen.
Thank you for your very smart commentary Aaron. We all appreciate and admire your contribution to thought provoking, stimulating conversation.
#Douchebag
FYI – what are you smoking?
Observer #2 and Anonymous: You sound just like the Rob McCord supporters on here during the 2014 primary who swore up and down that McCord would prevail and win because just like you they claimed their candidate had the “best ground game”, had the most support among party/county activists, that he was the only one who could win in the general and endorsements don’t matter… blah blah blah.
Most of these people also endorsement Tom Wolf during the primary.
The State Committee endorsement will definitely not go to Sestak. Allegheny County Chair Nancy Mills and Philly Chair Bob Brady are supporting Sestak, not to mention our next State Chairman Marcel Groen and our Governor Tom Wolf and former Governor Ed Rendell.
Remember, Specter won the endorsement of State Committee in 2010.
Sestak is done. McGinty will win the primary in a landslide and go on to defeat Toomey by 10 points in the general.
This is HUGE!! Hopefully Team McGinty can keep up the momentum! I have no doubt that she will be our next United States Senator! Go Katie!
I only counted 5 state committee members. If this is any indication, the endorsement will go to Sestak. In any case, McGinty cannot beat Toomey, only Sestak can do that.
Katie is more then qualified to be our Senator. Get out of the dark ages folks, women are smart and they can think on their own. We have seen what the “good Ole boys” are trying to do to Attorney General Kane, lets not let this happen to Katie McGinty.
whatever Ed Rendell wants, Ed Rendell gets… so all the elected Dems will now line up for Big Katie.. who has never held elected office in her life. She’s tied to the oil companies. The only jobs she created were for her husband and family.
Piling on these endorsements just highlights how desperate the establishment is to get revenge on Joe Sestak for refusing to tow their line. Joe will show them all – by crushing McGinty in April and waltzing past Toomey right into the Senate come 2017. The people of Pennsylvania know he’ll represent THEM, not the moribund party elite. (I really feel bad for McGinty… wasting her career to be tool for Ed Rendell and the all the rest.)
She’s in the pocket of the Frackers, Pittsburgh is in the pocket of the frackers – why is this even newsworthy? The Halliburton Exception will never go away if she has anything to say about it. This just shows that the people who bought her before, have bought her again.
No objection to the candidate, but who knew PA still had a “middle class and manufacturing jobs”?
Sestak sent out a WHINY appeal…. my comments interjected in []
“We’re under fire, David,
Because of my political independence [refusal to listen to sound advice], the party establishment [people who wanted to beat Toomey] spent half the year trying to find
an alternative candidate who they could control [count upon]. After failing to recruit six different candidates they’ve settled on the seventh [the 2nd who was actually interested].
We now will have to win against a D.C.-financed primary opponent, and I ask your help now to show the establishment that a candidate who puts people [himself] above party, above type, can win.”
“a candidate who puts people above party”???? Sestak puts himself ahead of people and party. That’s why the Dems were seeking another candidate. Also, a candidate young enough to serve several term. And, finally, a candidate who is an actual resident of PA.
Congrats to McGinty on getting so many endorsements.