PITTSBURGH, Pa. (PTTP) – For the first time since 2011, the Allegheny County Executive seat is up for grabs. Rich Fitzgerald will retire this year after exhausting his three-term limit.
The winner of the Democratic primary race is expected to take the open seat left by Fitzgerald this November. Candidates in the Democratic primary race so far include Olivia Bennett, Dave Fawcett, Sara Innamorato, Michael Lamb, Erin McClelland, Will Parker and John Weinstein.
Innamorato, Lamb, Fawcett and Weinstein have all drawn attention for their high campaign fundraising last year. With no county legislation currently limiting campaign donations, these four candidates ended 2022 with six-figure totals in their campaign accounts.
Each candidate got there in a different way. Lamb and Weinstein received large donations from political action committees and politically involved individuals. Fawcett also received large individual contributions, and loaned $150,000 — half his fundraising money — to his own campaign. Meanwhile, about 40% of Innamorato’s funds came from contributions of $250 or less, the highest of any candidate.
The number of contributions also varied drastically — while Weinstein had the most fundraising dollars, he also had the smallest number of contributions.
Allegheny County Council members Tom Duerr and Bob Macey have sponsored a bill to install campaign finance restrictions on county-level elections. The bill, which is currently in committee, would adopt the same contribution limits as federal elections. These changes would not take effect until after this election cycle.
If this bill does make it to Rich Fitzgerald’s desk, he said he will likely veto it, because it could put county officeholders at a disadvantage in non-county races. In that case, it would require a supermajority vote in the county council to become law.
