In case you're interested, full ACDC Endorsement List is here

First, a few notes on the Allegheny County Democratic Committee endorsement vote which was held yesterday.

Certainly the ACDC stamp of approval no longer holds the sway it once did. Candidates can win their elections without it and some no longer even seek the endorsement (see Mayor Bill Peduto).

The biggest headline to come out of the vote was the nod to Mark Patrick Flaherty over sitting incumbent Chelsa Wagner for Allegheny County Controller. Flaherty was Wagner's predecessor, and, because this is Allegheny County/Pittsburgh, Flaherty is the son of a former county commissioner and nephew of a former Pittsburgh mayor, while Wagner is the daughter of a former longtime chairman of the 19th Ward and niece of a former state auditor general. Meh.

And, while I'm no big fan of Wagner's, did the vote against her have to come on International Women's Day? Which just points to the fact that out of the 34 people ACDC endorsed, only eight were women.

This also leads to the following note from Kris Rust posted on Facebook by his husband, Pittsburgh Magisterial District Judge Hugh McGough, who did not win endorsement for Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas:

This weekend, the Allegheny County Labor Council and the Allegheny County Democratic Committee endorsed a slate of three straight, white men from the Pittsburgh suburbs as judicial candidates for the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas, passing over distinguished women and minority candidates, including Hugh (yes, LGBT people comprise a minority group). 

The integrity and legitimacy of our government and our courts depends upon them reflecting the diversity of our citizenry. Yet, two-thirds of the judges on the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas are straight, white men. While we are grateful to all of the folks who have supported Hugh throughout this endorsement process, I am disappointed that the majority of Labor Council and Democratic Committee members fail to recognize the value and importance of superlative credentials and diversity on the bench. Now I am ready to “rage against the machine!”

(If you'd like to help Hugh McGough's campaign--and I hope you do--his website is here.)

Another person who I would have liked to have been endorsed is Natalia Rudiak (though I have to admit that I don't know if she sought the endorsement). Rudiak is running for Pittsburgh City Controller and the only negative thing I can say about her is I would miss her on City Council. Her campaign website is here and her kickoff party is tomorrow.

Lastly, I hope that no one reading this takes the slate cards mailed out too much to heart. It's a real shame, but I'm guessing that too many people do rely on them, especially when voting for judges.

(Endorsement list is after the fold.)


ALLEGHENY COUNTY DEMOCRATS ENDORSE 2015 CANDIDATES

● Judge of the Court of Common Pleas
○ Pj Murray
○ Dan Regan
○ Bill Caye

● County Chief Executive
○ Rich Fitzgerald

● County Controller
○ Mark Patrick Flaherty

● District Attorney
○ Stephen A. Zappala, Jr.

● County Treasurer
○ John Weinstein

● Allegheny County Council At-Large
○ John DeFazio
● Allegheny County Council District 6
○ John Palmiere
● Allegheny County Council District 7
○ Nick Futules
● Allegheny County Council District 10
○ Eric Smith
● Allegheny County Council District 11
○ Barbara Daly Danko
● Allegheny County Council District 13
○ Denise Russell

● Pittsburgh City Controller
○ Michael Lamb

● Pittsburgh City Council District 1
○ Darlene Harris
● Pittsburgh City Council District 3
○ Bruce A. Kraus
● Pittsburgh City Council District 5
○ Corey O’Connor
● Pittsburgh City Council District 7
○ Deb Gross
● Pittsburgh City Council District 9
○ Ricky Burgess

● Pittsburgh School Director District 2
○ Regina B. Holley
● Pittsburgh School Director District 4
○ Lynda Wrenn
● Pittsburgh School Director District 6
○ Moira Kaleida
● Pittsburgh School Director District 8
○ Kevin Carter

● Magisterial District Judge 05-02-02
○ Richard G. Opiela
● Magisterial District Judge 05-02-04
○ Barry Wingard
● Magisterial District Judge 05-02-06
○ John Petrucci
● Magisterial District Judge 05-02-11
○ Jeff Filia
● Magisterial District Judge 05-02-18
○ Michael O’Leary
● Magisterial District Judge 05-02-22
○ Marc Daffner
● Magisterial District Judge 05-02-38
○ Jim Motznik
● Magisterial District Judge 05-02-40
○ Daniel Styche
● Magisterial District Judge 05-02-42
○ Robert P. Ravenstahl, Jr.
● Magisterial District Judge 05-03-10
○ Tony Ceoffe
● Magisterial District Judge 05-03-12
○ Leah Kirkland