Three-term Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald has finally doled out support for who he wants to replace his position as the top elected official in the county.

Fitzgerald, a Democrat, on Monday endorsed Pittsburgh Controller Michael Lamb in the Democratic primary for Allegheny County Executive. Fitzgerald is term-limited and has served nearly 12 years in the position. He said that he wants to ensure the future continues to stay bright for Allegheny, and he believes Lamb is the best candidate to do so.

“As I have viewed the campaigns, there is only one candidate with the qualifications, track record, honesty, and integrity to lead this county for the next four years,” he said at a press conference in Downtown Pittsburgh on Monday. “And that is Michael Lamb.”

There are six candidates for county executive running as Democrats. Lamb beat out state Rep. Sara Innamorato, Pittsburgh Public Schools board member Theresa Sciulli Colaizzi, former County Councilman Dave Fawcett, activist William Parker of Garfield, and Allegheny County Treasurer John Weinstein for Fitzgerald’s endorsement.

Former PNC executive Joe Rockey is running as a Republican and will likely face whoever emerges from the Democratic primary.

Allegheny County executives act as the top elected official overseeing county government, which includes dedicating public funding to county-owned infrastructure like roads, bridges, and parks; creating public health regulations for air and water quality; running the county police department; and appointing high-level managers to government positions and agencies like Pittsburgh Regional Transit and the Allegheny County Airport Authority.

A recent poll showed a tight race for the Democratic primary, with 28% of Democrats backing Weinstein, 24% in support of Lamb, and 17% siding with Innamorato.

Fitzgerald’s endorsement could provide a significant boost since 73% of Democratic voters approve of Fitzgerald.

“Michael knows how to make government work and to attract the best people to get the job done,” said Fitzgerald. “If you are happy with the direction that Allegheny County has been going in, and apparently 73% of you are, Michael Lamb is the person who will work each and every day to build on the progress we have made.”

Fitzgerald’s endorsement will also come with some financial backing, and the county executive said he will be placing ads soon sharing his endorsement of Lamb. Fitzgerald has more than $2 million in his campaign war chest, according to the most recent campaign fillings.

Lamb, a Democrat from Pittsburgh’s Mt. Washington neighborhood, thanked Fitzgerald for his support.

“We are bringing a message of improving this county, and investing in us, investing in our infrastructure, investing in our community, and investing in our young people,” said Lamb.

Fitzgerald praised Lamb for his plan to provide high school graduates in the county two-years of free tuition at Community College of Allegheny County. He said it would help to boost the region’s economy by assisting in filling the 40,000 unfilled jobs in the county, and that Lamb is capable of getting government, the private sector, and the philanthropic community on board.

“Infrastructure, investment, bond ratings, some people may think they are boring, but quite frankly they are what make government work,” said Fitzgerald. “All those things are the nuts and bolts of running a government, and Michael is the only one who can really do that.”

Lamb has served as Pittsburgh’s Controller for the last 15 years. Fitzgerald added that Lamb was a part of the region’s effort to amend the county’s Home Rule charter by removing some of the county’s row offices, and instead installing an executive and Allegheny County Council.

Fitzgerald said Lamb broke with the Democratic machine that ran the county for decades, and he fought to reduce the amount of row offices in the county, and establish a more accountable form of government.

The Primary Election will be held on May 16. Vote-by-mail in the primary races has already begun.

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