Less than one week ago, Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto lost the Democratic Primary Election to State Representative Ed Gainey.
Since then, Peduto says he has had time to process the surprise defeat and is at peace with it.
"It kind of surprised me," he said of the little time it took to start looking ahead. "I really thought being in the situation where I've loved this job as much as I have that the idea of not having it would have been something that would have been more difficult, but I'm too grateful for the opportunity to have ridden the rollercoaster."
In a one-on-one discussion with NewsRadio KDKA's Shelby Cassesse, Peduto said he reached acceptance by spending much of the last week alone. However, there was one phone call that stuck out.
President Joe Biden called him shortly after losing the election.
Mayor Peduto said during their conversation, he asked Biden if he knew anyone who was hiring. The president told the mayor to let him know what he's interested in doing.
"Thinking of that and opportunities, I think it may be best for me to leave Pittsburgh for a little while and then to come back home."
Related
Despite losing, Peduto says he wouldn't have done anything differently during the campaign.
"I think that the winds of change were so strong that no matter what we would have done differently, it still would have had the same output," he explained.
Peduto told Cassesse he hopes his time in office will be looked upon as a bridge between and old and new Pittsburgh.
"A Pittsburgh whose sky lit up in orange from our steel mills. A Pittsburgh that saw its hardest days when it was knocked to its knees through an economic depression and that depression continued throughout our entire region," he said. "And one that now is back, it's back on a global stage with a diversified economy, a strong city government and a strong financial outlook. I think that our administration was one to help to bridge that gap to assure that all of the good parts of Pittsburgh that were a part of my growing up, are still here to be part of whatever the next Pittsburgh is."
Pittsburgh is on the cusp of electing its first Black mayor in Gainey. As of now, he goes into November's election unopposed.
Related
Peduto has previously said he will help do what he can to get Gainey elected and told Cassesse he will be active in the transition to Pittsburgh's next mayor.
"Once Mr. Gainey is the mayor-elect, [I'll] work to present him with a budget that allows the flexibility for once he takes office to make changes to make changes to it and works with City Council and also to be able to hand to him any issues, policies or programs that have not been fully instituted," Peduto said of his role. "All the background and the resources needed to allow them to be successful under his administration.
As for what's next for Peduto, he says some time away from Pittsburgh may be in order.
"I think it may be best for me to leave Pittsburgh for a little while and then to come back home," he said.
He also does not plan to run for elected office in the future.