Corey O'Connor

Corey O'Connor (born August 22, 1984) is an American politician who is the Democratic nominee in the 2025 Pittsburgh mayoral election. He is currently serving as the Allegheny County controller in Pennsylvania since July 10, 2022. For the 10 years prior to becoming controller, he was a member of the Pittsburgh City Council and represented District 5.

Family and education

O'Connor was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to Bob O'Connor and Judy Levine O'Connor. He is the youngest brother of Terrence O'Connor, a priest, and Heidy Garth. Bob represented District 5 as a member of Pittsburgh City Council from 1992 to 2003, including a four year stint as council president; he was then elected Pittsburgh mayor in 2005, but six months after taking office in January 2006, he was diagnosed with a rare brain cancer and died seven weeks later. In his father's memory, Corey and his family established the Bob O'Connor Memorial Fund. To support the fund, they host the yearly "O'Connor Cookie Cruise" on the Gateway Clipper Fleet, which is attended by thousands.

O'Connor graduated from Central Catholic High School and earned his bachelor's degree in elementary education from Duquesne University. He married Katie Stohlberg on June 29, 2013. Nearly 8 years later, he married Katie McLaughlin on April 16, 2021, and they reside in Pittsburgh's Swisshelm Park neighborhood with their daughter and son.

Career

O'Connor has served as the Pittsburgh City Council member for District 5 since January 3, 2012. His district includes the neighborhoods of Glen Hazel, Greenfield, Hays, Hazelwood, Lincoln Place, New Homestead, Regent Square, Squirrel Hill South, and Swisshelm Park.

O'Connor received national media coverage for his response to the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting. He subsequently co-sponsored or supported gun reform legislation. He has also advocated nationally for stricter gun ordinances.

In 2022, O'Connor was nominated by Governor Tom Wolf and then confirmed by a Pennsylvania State Senate committee to become the next Allegheny County Controller, filling the vacancy left when Chelsa Wagner vacated the office on January 3, 2022, after being elected in 2021 to serve as a judge on the county's Court of Common Pleas. On July 10, 2022, O'Connor resigned as a member of city council and then was immediately sworn in as county controller. He was elected to a full term in 2023.

O'Connor's vacated city councilmember position was succeeded by Democrat Barbara Greenwood Warwick in a special election on November 8, 2022.

On December 10, 2024, O'Connor announced that he would run for Mayor of Pittsburgh in the 2025 election, challenging Ed Gainey in the Democratic primary. On May 20, 2025, O'Connor defeated Gainey in the primary election. He will go on to face Republican Tony Moreno, who was Gainey's opponent in 2021, in the general election. O'Connor is widely expected to win the general election become the next mayor, as no Republican has won election in the heavily-Democratic city since the 1930s.https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/20/us/pittsburgh-mayor-democratic-primary.html

References

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21st-century Pennsylvania politicians
County officials in Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh City Council members
Politicians from Pittsburgh
Living people
Year of birth missing (living people)
Central Catholic High School (Pittsburgh) alumni

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