Rep. Sara Innamorato joins crowded field of Allegheny County executive candidates

A fifth Democratic candidate for Allegheny County executive has entered the field, and one with arguably the largest base of progressive support.

State Rep. Sara Innamorato, D-Lawrenceville, announced her candidacy Thursday at an event in Millvale. She was flanked by more than 60 supporters inside the Millvale Food + Energy Hub, including nurses, union workers, and progressive Democratic officials like Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey and Congresswoman-elect Summer Lee.

In a speech, Innamorato, 36, touted her progressive policies and her support of groups working towards improved public transit, safer streets for all road users, lower gun violence, and cleaner air quality. Many of those advocate groups were in the crowd, and appear to be behind Innamorato’s campaign.

She also stressed the importance of working with every municipality in Allegheny County, and encouraged cooperation to reach policy goals, like equitable development, a higher minimum wage, and union rights.

“It is going to take co-governance,” said Innamorato. “It is not going to happen overnight, progress takes time, but there are real and tangible things we can do today.”

She joins four other candidates in the Democratic primary including Allegheny County Councilor Liv Bennett, trial lawyer and former Allegheny County Councilman Dave Fawcett, Pittsburgh Controller Michael Lamb, and former Congressional candidate Erin McClelland.

Innamorato grew up in Ross. She spoke about her father’s death at a young age, and how he struggled with an opioid addiction. She said her mom fought to give her and siblings a “semblance of normalcy” and she is thankful because it helped her attend college and prepared her for her successful life in politics.

“I know there are family members whose life was cut short because of addiction or gun violence,” she said. “But when we come together over our struggles and solidarity, we can do big things.”

First elected in 2018 as a state representative, Innamorato was part of the first wave of young, progressive politicians to unseat longtime Democratic incumbents. Summer Lee came in in the same class as Innamorato and they ran together and on similar policies. Lee said Innamorato will focus on a “worker-centered movement” across economic and racial lines.

“We were told the region is not ready for two progressive women, not only did we win, but we won by landslides,” said Lee.

Lee also touted Innamorato’s work in getting the Whole Homes Repair Act passed in a Republican-controlled state legislature, a bill that provides funds to help qualified home-owners make repairs to keep their affordable homes in a good state.

Innamorato said her platform will focus on ensuring property taxes are affordable, protecting renters from rising housing costs, holding industrial polluters accountable while also focusing on maintaining union jobs for workers.

She said she wants to invest in the Community College of Allegheny County to “prepare the workforce of the future” and would work with Pittsburgh Regional Transit to help improve accessibility and reliability of public transit. She also said she wants to “empower the department of community service to build a stronger social safety” for Allegheny County residents.

Innamorato also addressed ongoing controversy at the Allegheny County Jail, saying she wants to reform the jail, and invest “real money” into trauma and rehabilitation services to cut down on recidivism.

When asked about jail warden Orlando Harper, Innamorato said she would replace him, and also recognizes that “the work doesn’t stop with replacing that leadership.”

Current Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitgzerald, D-Squirrel Hill, is term-limited. His term expires at the end of 2023.