Mayor Ravenstahl headed for victory
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With nearly 98 percent of the vote counted, Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl was headed for a decisive Democratic primary win tonight.
It wasn't so much what the mayor's done as how he's handled himself that won over Megan Ayers -- and many of the other people who helped make him the Democratic nominee for Pittsburgh mayor yesterday.
"He brings a quality of charisma and optimism to the city," said Ms. Ayers, a service coordinator for behavioral health patients as she left her polling place at Ream Pool in Mount Washington. "I don't think his tenure has been anything spectacular. ... Everyone wants a handsome man in charge."
They liked Luke in most city neighborhoods yesterday, and gave the 29-year-old Summer Hill resident the nod of the dominant party and thus the inside track toward a four-year term.
His rivals were Councilman Patrick Dowd, 41, of Highland Park, and attorney Carmen Robinson, 40, of the Hill District. While both made inroads, neither could overcome initial low name recognition, and the mayor's primary totals were on pace to give him the biggest percentage of the vote since Tom Murphy wallopped Jack Wagner in 1993, clearly buoying him.
"The support of the people of this great city is the most rewarding and humbling thing a public servant could ask for," said Mr. Ravenstahl, through his campaign manager, Paul McKrell, prior to his victory speech. "Words can't express my sincere gratitude."
He seems certain to face opposition in the Nov. 3 General Election -- independent Kevin Acklin filed nomination papers with the Allegheny County Board of Elections yesterday, while Franco "Dok" Harris has said he'll run and Republican Josh Wander was pushing a write-in campaign. Mr. Ravenstahl won a one-on-one against a Republican in a 2007 special election.
Neither Mr. Dowd nor Ms. Robinson raised or spent more than a small fraction of what the mayor did in the primary, and voters yesterday didn't seem comfortable enough with them.
"I wasn't sure about Patrick Dowd," said Carole MacVicar, a secretary. And Ms. Robinson? "If she maybe ran for council first, and then ran for mayor, she would maybe get my vote."
Mr. Dowd appeared headed for a defeat much like that suffered by Mr. Wagner -- now the state auditor general -- but built citywide name recognition.
He tore into the mayor throughout the process, calling him wasteful and corrupt, and won some converts.
"I voted for Dowd," said Tom Lerma, an office installer. "Too many people just got the ear of Ravenstahl. He goes whichever way the wind blows."
But even two hours before the polls closed, Mr. Lerma didn't think his choice had a chance. "It's going to be the same old same old."
First Published May 19, 2009 10:03 pm
