How being an Irish woman from Allegheny Co. may have helped Erin McClelland (D) secure Pa.'s biggest primary upset

In an otherwise quiet election, there was one surprise Tuesday: the outcome of the Democratic primary for state treasurer.

Erin McClelland, an Allegheny County native, beat the state party’s endorsed candidate who outraised her 5-1. McClelland won by 8 percentage points and will take on Republican incumbent Stacy Garrity in November.

The treasurer holds a low-profile state row office position, but has a lot of power over the state’s investments and makes sure the state’s bills are paid.

And in this year’s treasurer’s race, several Democratic insiders and experts said McClelland’s native county, name, and gender likely played a decisive role for voters who knew little about the office or the candidates.

“A female with Allegheny County next to her name on the ballot in these lower-profile statewide races, geography matters a lot. That right there put her in the ball game,” said Mike Mikus, a Democratic consultant in Pittsburgh who is working this year for State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta’s campaign for auditor general. “And I’ve watched her, she’s tireless. She’s willing to do the hard work.”



https://www.inquirer.com/politics/election/erin-mcclelland-treasurer-campaign-democrats-20240428.html