Will he, or won’t he?
Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey is running for reelection next year and he could face a Democratic challenger in Allegheny Controller Corey O’Connor.
O’Connor tells KDKA Radio’s Marty Griffin he is asked many times each day if he is running and that he will decide over the next few weeks.
“I will make a decision shortly, with the holidays, I’ll spend with family,” said O’Connor.
Griffin said he expects O’Connor to make an announcement in early December, but the County Controller says “I don’t know about that.”
While no official decision will be made until that time, it does sound like O’Connor is preparing to run.
He has expressed frustration with roadblocks to economic growth and that Pittsburgh is in the middle of a downturn.
Trade unions and major developers have lined up behind O'Connor, promising major financial support.
In a statement, the Gainey administration said it looks forward to continuing its efforts to make city government work for all Pittsburghers.
Griffin is among some insiders saying O’Connor will run against Gainey.
Prior to County Controller, O’Connor was a Pittsburgh City Councilman for 10 years.
He father, Bob O’Connor was Mayor of Pittsburgh in 2006, before dying of a rare form of brain cancer.