Late Mayor's Son Running for City Council

Corey O'Connor announced Wednesday that he will be running for the Pittsburgh Council seat once held by his father, the late Mayor Bob O'Connor. Bob O'Connor represented the city's 5th District on Council before going to work for Governor Ed Rendell. He won the mayoral election in 2005, took the oath of office ind January 2006 before being hospitalized with cancer and dying 8 months later.

Corey O'Connor says that he has a passion to serve the city's residents. "To make our city an even better,safer, and cleaner place to live and work. I have experience and ability to bring people together, and that's what I want to do with my relationships and to bring new resources to the table. To bring people together to discuss our issues that hit us hard in the neighborhood."

O'Connor may come up against Councilman Doug Shields, a former aide to then Councilman Bob O'Connor. Shields has planned to relinquish his seat and run for a district judge seat, but there is uncertainty over whether the seat will be eliminated due to budget restraints. If the seat is cut Shields has expressed that he might run for reelection to council.
O'Connor, who has been an aide to Congressman Mike Doyle for the last 4 years, says that even though he may have to run against a family friend, he made a promise to run. "It's unfortunate what's going on with the councilman's situation, but he's a good friend of ours and he was the one that encouraged me to run. So if things changed I cant help it because I gave my word that I'm running. I am a man of my word and am going to stay in this race."

He says that the main focus on his run is to serve the people of Pittsburgh. O'Connor says that the people of Pittsburgh have been there for him and his family through good times and tragedy and have always bee there for him. He says he only wishes to give back to them.