Pittsburgh mayoral primary sees major upset as ‘old guard’ candidate defeats progressive incumbent Ed Gainey

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Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey was ousted Tuesday in a stiff Democratic primary challenge from Corey O'Connor, the son of a former city leader who had the support of the party's "old guard" and some Republicans.

Mayor Ed Gainey, seen as the progressive in the race, began the contest on roughly even footing in terms of campaign funding, but O'Connor, son of the late former Mayor Bob O'Connor, had outraised and outspent the incumbent by April – ultimately putting up a fight in a city that has not been competitive on a partisan level since the 1930s.

O’Connor received support from some Republican donors, as well as the "old guard" Democratic base, according to The New York Times.

"This is an election about Pittsburgh, about how we get our city back on the right track. It’s laughable to make arguments about progressive/not progressive. The outside groups that are meddling, I guarantee you – they haven’t looked at the records of either one of us," O’Connor told the paper.

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Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey was ousted Tuesday in a stiff Democratic primary challenge from Corey O'Connor (pictured), who also outraised and outspent the incumbent on the campaign trail. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)

O’Connor’s campaign has also shown support for the resourcing of the police and his own plan to revitalize the downtown area. He has also received large outside contributions from groups like Common Sense Change Action and Democracy Wins, according to the Post-Gazette.

Gainey took office as the Steel City's first Black mayor after defeating incumbent Mayor Bill Peduto in 2021. He has cast himself on the national stage as a critic of President Donald Trump and his agenda, while also working to attract new business to Pittsburgh — including the 2026 NFL Draft, which is estimated to bring a $200 million economic boost to the area, according to a source familiar.

Gainey also previously pledged not to cooperate with federal ICE operations and has called Trump’s budget cuts a "direct attack on working families" and the economy of Western Pennsylvania.

"ICE is not going to end the situation of a failed immigration policy. What it’s going to do is create more situations where people feel scared, where people don’t feel safe," Gainey said in January – a sentiment which earned the rebuke of another Pittsburgh politician, Republican U.S. Sen. David McCormick.

"Gainey needs to follow the law and the lead of some other Democratic mayors working to keep our cities safe," McCormick said, according to WTAE.

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Sen. John Fetterman, left, greets Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey at the Tree of Life memorial ceremony. (Getty)

Gainey’s campaign has highlighted the mayor’s efforts to increase community policing and mental health professionals to assist in police response, while O’Connor also claims the mantle of the pro-police candidate.

Under Gainey, the city ranks first in state population growth and has increased its affordable housing by 1,600 units.

Working with Democratic Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Gainey secured $600 million for downtown revitalization and improvements to the city's iconic Point State Park.

"Thanks to our people-powered movement, our campaign has all of the momentum in this race. We’ve proven again and again since 2021 that when we come together — across race, across class, religion, age, across every line that’s ever been used to divide us — we are unstoppable," Gainey said in a statement.

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On the Republican side, retired Police Det. Tony Moreno – who lost to Gainey last cycle – is running in the GOP primary against clothier Thomas West.

On the other side of the commonwealth, George Soros-backed Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner won his primary, and in the state's third-largest city, Allentown, progressive incumbent Matt Tuerk is facing off against another "old guard" Democrat in Councilman Ed Zucal.