The battle is drawing national attention because New Jersey is one of only two states this year — along with Virginia — holding gubernatorial elections in 2025. And they’re the first big races after President Donald Trump returned to office this year, making it an early barometer for what the public thinks of his controversial new administration.

Ed Gainey, who was elected to be Pittsburgh’s first Black mayor nearly four years ago, will face Corey O’Connor, the Allegheny County Controller and well-funded son of a beloved former mayor. The primary will probably decide the general election as well, since Pittsburgh has not elected a Republican mayor in nearly a century.

Pittsburgh's hotly contested mayoral race is in the spotlight as western Pennsylvanians head to the polls to cast their vote in the primary election. In Pittsburgh, incumbent Mayor Ed Gainey and challenger Allegheny County Controller Corey O'Connor are seeking to win the Democratic nomination.