While neither faced an election in 2018, both Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto and Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald pulled in significant campaign fundraising hauls last year, raising over $1 million combined, according to their annual reports published this week.
Neither of the two Democrats relied on small individual donations, instead pulling in significant money from labor unions and some of the area’s big corporate players.
The county’s top official ended the year with the larger war chest of the two, as he ramped up to campaign for a third term in 2019. On top of the $1.7 million in his coffers at the start of the year, Mr. Fitzgerald raised almost $800,000, more than the $300,000 he spent.
After running against only an independent challenger in 2015, Mr. Fitzgerald is facing a major party challenge from former County Councilman Matt Drozd, a Republican. Last time he faced a Republican opponent, D. Raja in 2011, Mr. Fitzgerald won over 60 percent of the vote.
Pittsburgh’s mayor, having won re-election easily in 2017, spent down his campaign accounts, as he lent his bigger profile to other local Democrats on the ballot throughout the year.
Mr. Fitzgerald’s five biggest donors in 2018 were all union Political Action Committees, with the campaign arms of the operating engineers, electrical workers, laborers, steamfitters and carpenters each giving at least $25,000. His largest donation not from a political committee was $15,000 from former Allegheny Technologies Chairman Richard Simmons, of Sewickley.
Other big donors included Highmark Health PAC, which gave $10,000; Merrill Stabile, a local parking lot magnate who gave $11,000; and Hill District developer Irvin Williams, who gave $11,000. Morgan K. O’Brien, the CEO of Peoples Gas, gave $10,000 in May, in the midst of a campaign for a “public-private partnership” to work with or replace the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority.
Notable contributions to Mr. Peduto also included Highmark Health PAC, in the amount of $5,000, as well as several donations from local unions and developers.
The PACs of the major labor locals, including the operating engineers, laborers, electricians, steamfitters, plumbers, carpenters and the AFL-CIO each donated $5,000.
The Fraternal Association of Professional Paramedics gave a $5,000 donation, as did Alcosan contractor Arcadis U.S.Inc.
Todd Reidbord and Gregg Perelman, with developer Walnut Capital, each gave $2,700.
Mr. Peduto started last year with nearly $200,000 left over from his 2017 campaign. Throughout the course of the year, Mr. Peduto raised an additional $328,637, bringing the campaign to just over $527,000.
Through 2018, the People for Peduto campaign spent nearly half of that, ending the year with just under $286,000. Most expenses went to support for state legislators as well as local politicians, including a $5,000 donation to the campaign of recently elected Pittsburgh City Council member Erika Strassburger. A sizable amount also was spent on services from Ampersand Consulting, Mr. Peduto’s longtime consulting firm for “functions required during off-campaign years,” Mr. Peduto said, including management of voter and volunteer databases, campaign finance compliance and other clerical work.
Mr. Fitzgerald redirected some of his fundraising to other Democratic campaigns as well, including $10,000 to the campaign of state Rep. Dan Frankel, D-Squirrel Hill, and over $20,000 to the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Campaign Committee.
County District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala, Jr., who is facing his first opponent in over 20 years this year, raised $70,000 in 2018 and ended the year with over $67,000 on hand.
County Controller Chelsa Wagner, who is also up for re-election in 2019 but hasn’t yet drawn a challenger, reported having nearly $65,000 on hand at the end of 2018. She raised just short of $100,000 over the course of the year.
Chris Huffaker: 412-263-1724 or chuffaker@post-gazette.com. Ashley Murray: 412-263-1750 or amurray@post-gazette.com
First Published: January 31, 2019, 9:30 p.m.
