The Mayor

Mayor

In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....

al election of 1989 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...

was held on Tuesday

Election Day (United States)

Election Day in the United States is the day set by law for the general elections of public officials. It occurs on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November. The earliest possible date is November 2 and the latest possible date is November 8...

, November 6, 1989. The incumbent mayor, Sophie Masloff

Sophie Masloff

Sophie Masloff is an American politician. A long-time member of the Democratic Party and civil servant, she was elected to the Pittsburgh City Council and later served as the mayor of Pittsburgh from 1988 to 1994...

 of the Democratic Party

Democratic Party (United States)

The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...

 chose to run for her first full term after having ascended the mayor's office from the position of President of City Council upon the death of long-time mayor Richard Caliguiri

Richard Caliguiri

Richard S. Caliguiri was an American politician who served as the mayor of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1977 until his death in 1988....

.

Democratic Primary

Masloff, a 71 year old self-described "Jewish grandmother" had been involved with city politics for nearly half a century. However, after taking the position of mayor, her leadership abilities came under scrutiny; critics asserted that Caliguiri's aides were running the city, while Masloff was only a figurehead.http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950DEFD71130F937A25756C0A96F948260 With Masloff appearing vulnerable, a variety of top tier Democrats jumped at the chance to defeat her. Allegheny County Controller Frank Lucchino, who ran on a campaign emphasizing fiscal prudence, appeared to be the frontrunner in the race, and for many weeks leading up to the election, polled just a few points ahead of Masloff. Tom Murphy, a State Representative (who would become mayor in 1993), also proved to be a viable contender, as he emphasized how his economic knowledge could guide the city toward a more diversified economy. Two other candidates with strong appeal to particular groups complicated the race: Tom Flaherty (who is unrelated to former Mayor Pete Flaherty), the City Controller, had strong support from the city's police and fire unions, while attorney and longtime civil rights activist Byrd Brown had a base in the black community.

Masloff, who made many personal appearances and charmed voters with her colorful personality, took the lead in polling in the closing days and went on to take the nomination. Murphy, who characterized himself as a "high tech visionary," also found momentum late, as he finished in second and set himself up to be a future force in city politics; Lucchino's campaign faded as he continued to question Masloff's credentials.http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950DEFD71130F937A25756C0A96F948260. Flaherty would finish fourth in the primary, with Byrd amassing less than 10% of the vote while coming in fifth.

General Election

Because no Republicans filed for the nomination, the mayor was reelected unopposed in November. A total of 56,688 votes were cast.