Democrats in the April 22 primary in the 21st Legislative District have a back-to-the-future moment ahead of them. Two years ago, they broke old habits and went with a bright newcomer, Lisa Bennington, over long-serving state Rep. Frank Pistella.

But in one term Ms. Bennington discovered that Harrisburg was not to her liking and is not seeking re-election. There's a danger the district could revert to form by picking someone well-steeped in the old-fashioned political ways of the city.

That candidate is not Mr. Pistella, who dropped out after failing to win the support of the Allegheny County Democratic Committee. The overwhelming favorite of the committee was Len Bodack Jr., heir to a famous Pittsburgh political name.

Mr. Bodack, 51, was a city councilman from 2003 until recently, when Patrick Dowd, a progressive candidate riding the crest of idealistic grass-roots support (not unlike Lisa Bennington in her race), pulled off an upset. It would be an irony if Mr. Bodack's defeat by a forward-thinking candidate for City Council allowed him to take his brand of yesterday's thinking to a new level in the Legislature.

To give Mr. Bodack his due, he grew in knowledge and stature in his time on City Council, although his pride in turning city finances around has a touch of amnesia (as part of council's "gang of five," he fought against budget cuts needed to right the ship).

The 21st District includes the city neighborhoods of Bloomfield, Garfield, Friendship, Morningside, Shadyside and Stanton Heights, plus Etna, Millvale, Sharpsburg and parts of Reserve, Ross and Shaler. No Republican filed for nomination.

All three candidates live in Stanton Heights and all are fairly well-known. Dom Costa, 56, rose through the ranks to become the city's chief of police. Brenda Frazier, 67, a retired schoolteacher, resigned her seat on County Council to run in this race. Although they have their own preferences, they don't differ very much on the issues -- for example, they all support the tolling of I-80 but oppose the leasing of the turnpike.

Likewise, they all say they favor complete bans on smoking in bars and restaurants and other public places with no exceptions, but on this issue Mr. Bodack is less believable. His support in principle comes with an asterisk. He thinks that a far-reaching ban is not going to happen politically and appears ready to accept certain exemptions that would fatally compromise public health. That's the old thinking ready to spring into action.

Fortunately, the voters in this race can go with experience that comes with a more positive record of achievement in elected office. As a member of County Council since her election in 2001, Brenda Frazier has shown herself to be a conscientious and caring public servant, whether championing row office reform and the smoking ban or mapping a new path for the Kane hospitals. She has the Post-Gazette endorsement so that this seat doesn't have to go back to the old boys' club.