Now that Luke Ravenstahl is out of the Pittsburgh Mayoral race, it looks like the Allegheny County Democrats are going to have to coronate Michael Lamb, since he’s the only other candidate who sought the County party’s endorsement.
Bill Peduto did not seek the party endorsement because he assumed the party would endorse the incumbent Democratic mayor. Now that we’re past the February 2nd deadline for candidates to seek the party’s endorsement, none of the new entrants into the race will be able to vie for the endorsement.
That’s too bad. Obviously the dynamics of the race have completely changed since Friday, and Pittsburgh is now in for a competitive open seat race. It wouldn’t do to coronate Michael Lamb now.
What would that endorsement even mean? Would it mean that the party thinks Mr. Lamb is the strongest possible party standard-bearer of the bunch? Is there anyone who thinks that’s true?
When Bill Peduto has the support of key party-aligned actors and interest groups, like Rich Fitzgerald’s political team, and SEIU and building trade unions?
When big names like Jack Wagner and Dan Onorato and Jim Ferlo may still enter the race?
It just doesn’t make any sense for the county party to endorse a candidate at this point. The endorsement would be meaningless, since the party would not be making the choice based on their view of the actual state of the race, post-Ravenstahl. They won’t have actually considered any of the other 2 or 3 candidates. It would be based on the completely different race we had on February 2nd.
The Allegheny Dems need to hit the reset button on the endorsement process and actually consider all the candidates, or else not endorse anybody.
