PITTSBURGH (AP) — Longtime City Councilman William Peduto has won the Democratic nomination for mayor, defeating former state auditor general Jack Wagner and state Rep. Jake Wheatley.
Peduto is vying to succeed incumbent Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, a Democrat who is not seeking re-election, and the winner of the primary was all but certain to be elected in November in a city where Democrats outnumber Republicans 2-1.
Peduto's victory was seen as a surprise given that both of Pittsburgh's daily newspapers — the Post-Gazette and Tribune-Review — endorsed Wagner who had served two terms as auditor general, served in the state senate and had sought the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in 2010.
The only Republican candidate, Josh Wander, faced no primary opposition.