Allegheny County executive Democratic primary: Candidates tell voters why they should be nominated
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- On Tuesday, Allegheny County Democrats will nominate one of the six candidates for county executive. The winner will face Republican Joe Rockey this fall.
In the last of a multi-part series, KDKA-TV political editor Jon Delano asks each of the candidates why voters should choose them over their competitors.
Six Democrats want to replace Rich Fitzgerald as county executive, including former Pittsburgh school board president Theresa Sciulli Colaizzi, former county councilman Dave Fawcett, state representative Sara Innamorato, Pittsburgh city controller Michael Lamb, mobile app developer Will Parker and county treasurer John Weinstein.
The final question to each of the candidates is this: Why should voters nominate you? What do you have that the others don't?
"First and foremost, Jon, I have unparalleled experience," said John Weinstein. "You could collectively add up all my opponents, they can't come anywhere near the 25 years of hands-on county government experience that I have. This is what we're talking about. We're talking about Allegheny County, a $3 billion entity with 7,500 employees."
"This is a big job and I think it takes big experience," said Michael Lamb. "And we're bringing big ideas; we're bringing bold leadership to this race. And when you look at my credentials, my career, the things that I've worked on, whether it be in the criminal justice area, whether it be in the court system, the work we've done around transparency in the city and holding people accountable."
"I believe that the county exec is the ultimate doer position," said Sara Innamorato. "I didn't come to politics because I wanted to be a politician. I came to this role because I wanted to be of service to my neighbors, and my vision as county executive is to ensure that we are creating a region where we can all thrive."
"I think we want somebody who has credibility, who has had a real job and real life experience and isn't a career politician," said Dave Fawcett. "I think people want a change, and I'm going to run the county with integrity and yet every day I'm going to be asking the question: Where do we want to be as a city, as a county, as a region in 10 years?"
"Energy, energy, energy," said Will Parker. "I bring a whole different approach. I put diversity first, inclusion for all, and I'm passionate about that. I think that's the only way this county works. It works together. I would like to help more people be heard, those who have been forgotten about, and I want to increase the value."
"If you add up everybody there, and then look just at my bio, I've got more experience than all of them," said Theresa Sciulli Colaizz. "And with all due respect, I think I'm older than all of them."
"I get things done. I don't care who gets the credit. I just want them done," Sciulli Colaizz said.
Allegheny County Democrats have just a short time to decide which of the six nominees they want to be their next county executive. The primary is May 16.
