Mayoral primaries across PA: Nail-biters, blowouts and upsets

Voters across the commonwealth flocked to the polls on Tuesday for Pennsylvania’s 2025 municipal primary, which saw voters in several Pennsylvania cities choose their preferred candidates for mayor in a series of nail-biters and blowouts. 

The primary election results showed voters wanted change in some cities, continuity in others. Below, City & State explores election results from seven Pennsylvania cities that had contested mayoral primary races, examining what the results mean for November’s general election. 

Pittsburgh: In the Steel City, Allegheny County Controller Corey O’Connor defeated incumbent Mayor Ed Gainey in a competitive Democratic primary race that could very well determine the city’s next chief executive, as the city hasn’t had a GOP mayor serve in office since 1934. The Associated Press called the race for O’Connor shortly after 10 p.m. Tuesday.

Gainey acknowledged the loss in a statement Tuesday night: “While tonight’s result isn’t what we hoped for, our people-powered movement in Pittsburgh is stronger than it’s ever been before, thanks to every person who was part of this campaign to build a city for all.

“The multi-generational, multi-racial movement that has been pushing to transform who the government works for has been fighting massive amounts of money at every level of electoral politics – from Summer Lee overcoming millions of dollars worth of attack ads to Sara Innamorato beating a right-wing dark money scheme,” Gainey added. “And that means Corey O’Connor must be ready to carry forward the transformational progress the people of this city demand and that he promised in his campaign. The progress my administration delivered on affordable housing, policing, and community investments set a new bar that Corey will be expected to build upon.”

O’Connor thanked Pittsburgh voters Tuesday night. “We built this campaign with and for the people of this city, neighborhood by neighborhood,” he said in a social media post. “I’m proud to be your Democratic nominee for Mayor. I’m ready to get to work, and I’m grateful to have you with me as we take the next steps forward, together.”

In the city’s Republican primary race, the AP called the race for former police officer Tony Moreno, who defeated small business owner Thomas West to win the GOP nomination. The results set up a general election showdown between O’Connor – the son of former Pittsburgh mayor Bob O’Connor – and Moreno in November.

Harrisburg: In the state capital, Harrisburg Mayor Wanda Williams found herself in a competitive primary for the Democratic nomination, facing challenges from Harrisburg City Treasurer Dan Miller, City Councilmember Lamont Jones, gun violence prevention advocate Tone Cook and perennial candidate Lewis Butts. Williams said during an April mayoral debate that she would run as an independent in the general election if she lost Tuesday’s primary election, but with all 28 of the city’s precincts reporting on Tuesday night, Williams held an 83-vote lead over Miller, according to unofficial returns from Dauphin County.

Allentown: Allentown Mayor Matt Tuerk easily handled a primary challenge from Allentown City Councilmember Ed Zucal, who sought to unseat Tuerk in the Democratic primary. According to LehighValleyNews.com, Tuerk declared victory over Zucal on Tuesday night, telling the outlet that his margin over Zucal shows there is “not a lot of Democratic appetite for (Zucal's) brand of politics.”

Bethlehem: In Bethlehem, Mayor J. William Reynolds successfully won Bethlehem’s Democratic mayoral primary, defeating Bethlehem City Councilmember Grace Crampsie Smith on Tuesday. According to WFMZ, Crampsie Smith conceded the race around 10 p.m.

Erie: Daria Devlin, a member of the Erie School Board, led incumbent Erie Mayor Joe Schember and  Democratic candidate Sheila Ellyn Woeger in the city’s Democratic primary with 100% of precincts reporting on Tuesday night. Devlin received 5,117 votes compared to Schember’s 4,694 votes, according to unofficial returns from Erie County.

Republican Matthew S. Thomas won the GOP mayoral primary in Erie without any opposition, meaning Thomas advances to the Nov. 4 general election.

Scranton: In the Electric City, Scranton Mayor Paige Gebhardt Cognetti appeared to once again secure the city’s Democratic nomination for mayor, besting former Scranton School Board President Robert Sheridan who was also on the ballot. According to unofficial Lackawanna County election returns, Cognetti won 75% of the Democratic primary vote, notching more than 6,200 votes en route to victory.

On the GOP side, Trish Beynon beat Lynn Labrosky to secure the Republican nomination for mayor. According to unofficial results, Beynon won the primary race with 44.73% of the vote.

Lancaster: In Lancaster’s Democratic primary for mayor, Lancaster City Council Vice President Jaime Arroyo declared victory over City Councilmember and fellow Democrat Janet Diaz on Tuesday night, per WGAL.