Allegheny County will elect its first new county executive in 25 years – Pennsylvania Capital-Star

Allegheny County will elect its first new county executive in 25 years on Tuesday, as Democrat Sara Innamorato and Republican Joe Rockey vie to replace the term-limited Rich Fitzgerald.

Innamorato, a former state representative, beat several Allegheny County Democratic stalwarts in the May primary, edging out Allegheny County Treasurer John K. Weinstein and Pittsburgh City Controller Michael Lamb. Her win was the latest in a slew of victories for the progressive wing of Allegheny County’s Democratic party, which included Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey, and U.S. Rep. Summer Lee.

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Rockey, a retired PNC Bank executive, ran unopposed for the Republican nomination. He has received several key labor endorsements, and campaign financial disclosures show he raised $1.6 million in the most recent quarter, compared to Innamorato’s $650,000. 

Democrats outnumber Republicans in Allegheny County by a margin of 2 to 1, and Jim Roddey is the only Republican to hold the county’s top office since it was established by home rule charter in 2000. Innamorato would be the first woman to hold the position. 

Republicans have tried to blame progressives for an increase in crime in Pittsburgh, Allegheny County’s largest municipality, and Rockey’s campaign has focused on Innamorato’s history as a member of the Democratic Socialists, a group she recently renounced. 

During a debate in September, Innamorato said she was a pragmatic progressive, “in the sense that in order to hold office you need to work with people who believe different things than you on a common goal.” 

Rockey said that he grew up in a union Democratic household, and would not support former President Donald Trump, the current GOP front-runner for the 2024 presidential nomination. Rockey called himself a “centrist” who would “lead from the middle and represent the majority of Allegheny County.” 

But Innamorato criticized Rockey for identifying as a Republican: “he’s still committed to a party that is trying to disrupt our election cycle.”

This story will be updated throughout the day on Tuesday. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. To find your polling place, click here. If you encounter difficulty voting or want to share your election day experience, email us at [email protected] with the subject line “Election Day 2023.”

Originally published at www.penncapital-star.com,by Kim Lyons