Incumbent Pittsburgh council members edge challengers in Democratic primary

Two of the four Pittsburgh City Council races were contested in Tuesday’s primary election.

Unlike the mayoral race, where Bill Peduto failed in a re-election bid, the council races saw the incumbents move on with two-to-one support.

Council President Theresa Kail-Smith defeated challenger Jacob Williamson in the District 2 race representing the West End.

Kail-Smith garnered nearly 70% of the vote (3,346) to Williamson’s 30% (1,462) in the race.

She didn’t return calls seeking comment.

District 2 includes the city’s Banksville, Beechview, Chartiers City, Crafton Heights, Duquesne Heights, Mt. Washington, East Carnegie, Elliott, Esplen, Fairywood, Oakwood & Ridgemont, South Shore, Sheraden, West End, Westwood and Windgap neighborhoods.

In the other race, Councilman Anthony Coghill bested Bethani Cameron by a slightly closer margin, 62% (3,559) to 37% (2,133) for Cameron.

A former chief of staff for Councilwoman Deb Gross, Cameron also worked for Coghill’s predecessor Natalia Rudiak.

“She ended up being a formidable candidate,” Coghill said.

In the general election, Coghill will face another challenge from Green Party candidate Connor Mulvaney.

Barring a write-in or independent candidate, Coghill’s the only council member who will face a challenge in the fall.

He’s running for re-election because he wants to continue to address the South Hills neighborhood’s infrastructure issues, Coghill said.

The district includes the city’s Beechview, Bon Air, Brookline, Carrick, Mt. Washington and Overbrook neighborhoods.

“I’m a contractor by trade. When I came in, I came in with the mentality of a contractor,” he said. “I need four more years to finish what I started.”

He’d also like to be a part of the solution as the city takes on issues like police reform, he said.

“I want to be around for those talks as well,” Coghill said. “I look forward to taking on the bigger, wider, more serious issues as well.”

Council members Erika Strassburger and R. Daniel Lavelle were unopposed in the primary and barring write-ins will not face opposition in the fall.