It’s been a year of wrenching political change, but local union leaders played it safe when they made their endorsements Friday for the May primary: Members of the Allegheny-Fayette County Central Labor Council extended labor’s backing to a number of familiar names in contested races, while declining to endorse in one of the most notable offices on the 2018 ballot.
While union leaders backed Gov. Tom Wolf and Sen. Bob Casey, they could not settle on a lieutenant governor, the only statewide race in which Democrats have a fight on their hands.
Beleaguered incumbent Mike Stack is facing challengers who include Braddock Mayor John Fetterman and Murrysville Army veteran Aryanna Berringer, along with Lancaster County Commissioner Craig Lehman and Chester County Comissioner Kathi Cozzone. Earning the council’s recommendation requires a two-thirds vote, and no candidate achieved that.
The labor council also didn’t pick favorites in congressional races, where district boundaries are currently being argued over in federal courts.
"With all the uncertainty about who is going where and what might be coming out of the courts, we're going to wait until after the [special] election in the 18th is settled and we get a final opinion from the court," said labor council president Darrin Kelly.
The Allegheny and Fayette councils merged last year, and roughly three dozen members voted after candidate interviews held Friday at the South Side’s IBEW Local #5 Hall.
The council did weigh in on state legislative battles, including the 38th Senate District, where Lindsey Williams faces Stephanie Walsh in a primary for a north-of-Pittsburgh seat currently held by Republican Randy Vulakovich. The council backed Ms. Williams, a staff attorney with the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers.
In a number of state House races, the labor council backed incumbents over their challengers. Rep. Jake Wheatley, D-Hill District, earned council backing in the 19th District, where he is being challenged by Aerion Abney, who did not appear for an interview.
Incumbent Dom Costa, D-Stanton Heights, won the nod for a 21st District re-election bid in which he is being challenged by Sara Innamorato, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America. The council backed Braddock Rep. Paul Costa, Dom Costa’s distant cousin, in the 34th District, where he faces a challenge from another Democratic Socialists of America candidate, Summer Lee.
The labor council did not pick a candidate in House District 30, where at least three Democrats hope to compete for the North Hills seat currently held by Republican Hal English. But it did back Rueben Brock for the 46th District in southern Allegheny and part of Washington County held by Republican Jason Ortitay of Bridgeville; Byron Timmins is also hoping to win the Democratic primary in that district.
The labor council gave its nod to a number of other Democrats who are running unopposed.
Technically, the council’s recommendations are not endorsements until they are ratified by the state’s AFL-CIO, but for the races within the counties themselves, state approval is all but assured.
“The candidates that were recommended to the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO for endorsement will be strong voices for working families throughout Southwestern Pennsylvania,” Mr. Kelly said in a statement.
The labor council’s backing is one of two key events on the political calendar this weekend. Members of the Allegheny County Democratic Committee will make their own picks in contested races Sunday.
Chris Potter: cpotter@post-gazette.com or 412-263-2533.
First Published: March 3, 2018, 12:11 a.m.
