Fitzgerald endorses Joanna Doven in Allegheny County Council race

Longtime Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald is finally weighing in on the upcoming Democratic primary election.

Fitzgerald endorsed Democratic county council at-large candidate Joanna Doven on Wednesday, issuing his first primary endorsement of the 2023 campaign. Fitzgerald is serving his third term as county executive, Allegheny County’s highest elected position, and is term limited. He will leave office at the end of the year.

“Joanna has experience in the private sector and public sector, and what I have always liked about Joanna is her ability to get things done,” he said. “We need people who can positively get things done, as I move on.”

Doven of Squirrel Hill runs a public relations company and worked for former Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl. She is running in the Democratic primary against incumbent County Councilwoman Bethany Hallam, D-North Side.

The race has been fairly dramatic for a county council election. County Council members are part-time elected officials, who largely approve appointments from the county executive and pass bills concerning county government’s purview, such as public health, infrastructure, development and public safety.

Doven has been aggressive in attacking Hallam and called her a “heroin dealer” last week. Hallam, who has been open about her past opioid drug addiction and criminal record, has criticized Doven for making personal attacks against her and said she should instead be “talking about ideas to improve the county.”

Hallam has never been charged with drug dealing.

Fitzgerald, a Hallam critic, said he is supporting Doven because he disapproves of how Hallam voted against certifying part of the 2022 election and her opposition to the county’s capital budget.

He said Hallam has done “damage to democracy” by voting against certification for certain precincts in the 2022 election.

Hallam has defended this vote. She told the Tribune-Review in January she voted to support more than 99% of the votes, but results in the 12 precincts in question still hadn’t received a ruling from a local judge, and she didn’t want to supersede her authority.

Fitzgerald also criticized Hallam for voting against the county’s capital budget, which he said is crucial to supporting infrastructure projects, such as bridge repairs. He said the county has been able to reduce poorly rated bridges in the county from 72 to single digits and that “we need someone in county council who will support these budgets.

He also said Doven, if elected, would be become the first Hispanic-American elected to county council and that it is “high time” for that representation. Doven is Cuban-American.

Doven said she was honored to receive Fitzgerald’s endorsement and noted he is leaving office with high approval ratings. A recent poll showed 73% of Democratic voters approve of Fitzgerald.

She said her background in the Ravenstahl administration and her experience in the private sector will be valuable in attracting development and investment to Downtown Pittsburgh and beyond.

“We need to do our best to attract investment, or we are going to be hurt,” Doven said. “The at-large seat needs to be an advocate for economic development and job growth and population growth.”

She cited the region’s construction slowdown and acknowledged that has largely been driven by the pandemic, but she said council needs to do more to push for growth.

Hallam said she isn’t surprised by Fitzgerald’s endorsement of Doven. Hallam has sparred with Fitzgerald several times during her term. She said county council isn’t supposed to be a mouthpiece for the executive. She cited her accomplishments on council, such as banning LGBTQ conversion therapy and fracking in county parks.

“This work makes you some powerful, wealthy enemies, but it’s never stopped me from doing what’s for the people who elected me,” Hallam said.

This is Fitzgerald’s first endorsement of the primary cycle. When asked if he would be publicly supporting a replacement for his position, he said he wanted to focus on supporting Doven but hinted he might be announcing an endorsement in the county executive race soon.

“Let’s see what happens in the days to come,” he said. “All I can say is: stay tuned.”