Pennsylvania’s municipal primary election is Tuesday and some of the most important races take place for mayor of Keystone State cities, boroughs and towns.

PoliticsPA will count down to the May 20 election by previewing the key races throughout the Commonwealth.

• May 12: Scranton
• May 13: Allentown
• May 14: Harrisburg
• May 15: Erie
• May 16: Pittsburgh
• May 19: Lancaster
• May 20: Bethlehem

Today, we take a look at the state’s biggest mayoral race – Pittsburgh.

Incumbent Ed Gainey looks for a second term but faces a big challenge from Allegheny County Controller Corey O’Connor for the Democratic nomination. On the GOP side, retired police officer Tony Moreno and business owner Thomas West are competing for the nomination.

It is worth noting that incumbent mayors running for reelection in Pittsburgh have lost just once in the past century. It is also worth noting that one time was four years ago.

Ed Gainey

• Party: Democrat
• Residence: Lincoln-Lemington
• Experience: Mayor of Pittsburgh (2022-present); Member, PA House of Representatives (2013-21); Community Development Specialist
• Priorities. Make Pittsburgh a place everyone can afford. Cut Pittsburgh’s affordable housing deficit in half. Expand inclusionary zoning city-wide. Continue efforts to transform Downtown into a mixed-use, mixed-income, 24/7 neighborhood. Provide career opportunities for every young graduate who wants to stay in Pittsburgh. Support organized labor and union workers. Continue to secure investments in the city’s infrastructure to improve roads, bridges, public transit, and other utilities.
• Endorsements. Rep. Summer Lee (D-12); Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato; Speaker of the PA House Joanna McClinton
• Education: B.A, Morgan State University ’94
• Quotable: “I don’t want us to have a city where some people feel like they’ve been left behind, where some people feel they’ve been left out.”
• Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

Corey O’Connor

• Party: Democrat
• Residence: Point Breeze
• Experience: Allegheny County Controller (2023-present); Pittsburgh city councilor (2012-22)
• Priorities. Reforming permit and zoning systems to accelerate new housing construction. Expanding youth programming and investing in community centers. Adding staffing and funding to public safety bureaus.
• Endorsements: Allegheny County Democratic Committee.
• Education: B.A, Duquesne University ’06
• Quotable: “There is no vision coming off of Grant Street anymore. Instead, when I look around, I see a mayor and an administration that is managing decline instead of working to grow Pittsburgh.”
• Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Tony Moreno

• Party: Republican
• Residence: Brighton Heights
• Experience: Pittsburgh police detective
• Priorities. Prioritizing public safety and hiring more police officers. Addressing the root causes of homelessness, working with mental health professionals and law enforcement. Cutting taxes and reducing regulation to promote business.
• Quotable: “Under current leadership, crime is rising, businesses are leaving, and our neighborhoods are suffering. It’s time for a change.”
• Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Thomas West

• Party: Republican
• Residence: Highland Park
• Experience: Local television broadcast producer, clothing store owner
• Priorities. More resources to retain and hire police officers. Supporting ‘forgotten’ neighborhoods. Creating a business roundtable to assist the mayor’s office.
• Education: B.A, Lyndon State College
• Quotable: “I don’t care where you fall on the political spectrum. If you’ve been cut out of the city conversation by those in leadership, come back in. I’m open to hear you.”
• Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Podcasts

• Voices of Reason | PoliticsPA
• Previewing the Pittsburgh Mayoral Race | TribLIVE

Media

• Election Guide | Pittsburgh City Paper
• Pittsburgh’s Mayoral Race Heats Up as Pressure Mounts on Ed Gainey | New York Times
• What’s Going On With the Pittsburgh Mayoral Race and What It Could Mean For the Rest of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia Inquirer
• Pittsburgh At a Tipping Point in High-Stakes Race for Mayor | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
• After a Bare-Knuckled Pittsburgh Mayoral Primary, Will Local Democrats Be Able to Come Together? | WESA
• Republican Candidates for Pittsburgh Mayor Attack Democrats and Their Policies in Debate a Week Before Primary | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
• Untraceable Money Boosts Both Gainey and O’Connor in Pittsburgh Mayor’s Race | Public Source
• What Pittsburgh’s mayoral candidates think about tech, housing, jobs and startup growth. | Technical.ly
• 2025 Pittsburgh mayoral candidates weigh in on business issues | Pittsburgh Business Times
• Say what? Separating fact from fiction in Pittsburgh mayor’s race | TribLIVE

Debates