Gainey, O'Connor clash in fiery Democratic mayoral primary debate
Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey and Allegheny County Controller Corey O’Connor clashed Thursday night in a contentious debate that put both Democratic mayoral candidates on the defensive.
The candidates traded accusations, interrupted each other and at times shouted during the 30-minute debate, which was moderated by Channel 11 News anchor Lisa Sylvester at the station’s studio.
Mr. O’Connor quickly set the tense tone in his opening remarks, criticizing the mayor for what he said was a lack of transparency about the grim state of the city’s finances, a point he reiterated several times throughout the debate.
The mayor refuted this claim and said his administration was doing an “incredible job” to ensure a strong city budget. He pointed to a Tuesday news conference where he announced the city has raised $62.6 million through bonds to invest in infrastructure and public safety improvement projects outlined in its 2025 budget.
https://www.post-gazette.com/news/politics-local/2025/04/17/gainey-oconnor-mayoral-debate-pittsburgh/stories/202504170137
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I thought Corey O'Connor made some good points but Mayor Gainey sounded defensive throughout the "debate."
