Plum Democrats working with family of late mayoral candidate to find replacement for November election

The Plum Democratic Committee is working with the family of late mayoral candidate Shawn Marcellino to select a new person to run for the office in November.

Committee chair Amy Wetmore said Tuesday they will meet July 14 to possibly select a challenger to incumbent Republican Mayor Harry Schlegel.

“We are interacting with the family to make sure that we have their blessing in any decision we make,” Wetmore said. The family and the Plum Democratic Committee have until sometime in August to petition Allegheny County officials to replace Marcellino’s name on the ballot.

Mike Devine, longtime friend and treasurer of Marcellino’s campaign, has served as a liaison to the family and media. He submitted a statement on behalf of the family Wednesday night:

“We want to ensure someone is picked who holds the same values as Shawn,” the statement read. “Someone who has the same vision for Plum. We understand that whoever replaces him on the ticket will need to run their own campaign, but as long as they are a voice for everyone in Plum, they will have our support.

”Shawn decided to run to truly make a change in how Plum has been run in the past. The new candidate should be someone who wants to carry on that direction.”

Potential candidate names have not been released.

Marcellino was playing catcher for a church league softball game the evening of June 1. He and Jimmy McBride formed Living Word of Plum’s team this year after several seasons of competing against each other.

Marcellino began to have chest pains and collapsed during the game.

“Our team was in the field still, so the other team ran toward home plate and everybody tried to do what they could to help,” McBride said. “Shawn made friends with everyone. No matter where he was, he was like everybody’s best friend. That’s the best way to describe him. He’d do anything for you.”

He was rushed to Forbes Hospital in Monroeville where he died, the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office reported.

A senior level manager at Highmark, Marcellino was 40.

He grew up in Holiday Park and graduated from Plum High in 1999. He earned an associate’s degree in criminal justice and then attended Point Park University, where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business.