Innamorato elected Allegheny county executive and Zappala re-elected DA in split decision for progressives

[FakeNoose]

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette link: https://www.post-gazette.com/news/politics-local/2023/11/07/election-day-allegheny-county-pennsylvania-updates/stories/202311060061

Sara Innamorato was elected Tuesday as the first woman to lead Allegheny County government, a historic moment that came after she ran on a progressive platform that promised a “county for all.”

At the same time, Stephen A. Zappala Jr. was re-elected as district attorney, surviving a rematch against the same progressive challenger who defeated him in the Democratic primary to win a seventh term as the county’s top prosecutor.

The results added up to something of a split decision for Western Pennsylvania progressives who have enjoyed a string of electoral victories in recent years, one with complicated implications for the future of local government — and for statewide races for president and U.S. Senate in 2024.

In Tuesday’s marquee statewide race, Democrat Dan McCaffery won an open seat on Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court, preserving a strong Democratic majority on a panel that has produced several critical election-related rulings in the presidential battleground state.

- more at link -

I'm actually glad that DA Stephen Zappala won a new term even though he ran as an independent (endorsed by the GOP) this time. Here's hoping that Sara Innamorato will bring energy and fresh enthusiasm to our Allegheny County government. We need it! Her Republican opponent Joe Rockey made many good points during his campaign for County Executive.

It was a good day for Democrats in Allegheny County and the City of Pittsburgh.

[Deminpenn]

1. Here's what passes for analysis from a local R who polled and

worked on the campaigns:

https://www.post-gazette.com/news/politics-local/2023/11/17/allegheny-county-election-results-stephen-zappala-joe-rockey/stories/202311170047

It's so elementary and obvious, it's laughable. Anyone who paid any attention to the these elections could have told you the same without the benefit of polling or having run the R campaigns.

[FakeNoose]

2. Yes I saw that article, not sure how much I believe it though

Stephen Zappala is a good, long-serving Democrat and a good DA, but he has pissed off some people in the last few years. The feud with Dugan is just one example, and not everything gets into the papers anyway. I've been voting for Zappala for as long as I can remember, and I think I gave him my vote in primary too. He ran as an independent then. So a lot of Pittsburghers were going to vote for him out of habit, regardless of party endorsement.

Joe Rockey ran a decent campaign from what I saw. I don't think he made any major blunders. The guy sounded OK, but he wasn't very well-known in Allegheny County until this year. On the other hand, a lot of people were unfamiliar with Immorata also. I think the County Manager voting just went by straight party-lines, and the Dems almost always win that. If she messes up, maybe voters will give Rockey a chance next time. We'll see.

I don't have any insider info, I just go by what I see in the newspapers.

[Deminpenn]

3. I agree

Zappala, he's a long time Dem and as you said, plenty of people always voted for him and did again.

Inammorato did have more name recognition because she was elected to the state house and had run in Allegheny county. I think her election was close because voters are tired of uber partisanship that's seeped into every level of govenment. To me, the message from voters was, put all the partisanship aside and govern. I know it's the Rs engaging in the hyper partisan stuff, but still the message was sent to both parties.

The school board elections are a good bellwether, imo. In many cases, even in R school districts like me, the crazies were voted out in favor of candidates who ran on being responsible stewards.