Democratic congressional candidate Chris Deluzio nabs labor endorsements in 17th District
Democratic congressional candidate Chris Deluzio said he has solidified labor support with several key endorsements in Pennsylvania’s 17th District race.
Last week, Deluzio nabbed the endorsement of Allegheny-Fayette Central Labor Council, the largest labor coalition in the region with 135 unions and 100,000 workers. On Friday, three more local labor unions endorsed him: Operating Engineers Local 66, Heating & Frost Insulators Local 2 and Amalgamated Transit Union Local 85.
On Sunday, Deluzio also earned the endorsement of the Allegheny County Democratic Committee.
“You don’t win as a Democrat in Western Pennsylvania without the hardworking folks in labor with you,” Deluzio said in a statement.
The redrawn 17th District includes Beaver County and many Allegheny County suburbs west, north and east of the city. It largely resembles the district that has been represented by outgoing U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb, D-Mt. Lebanon, who is vacating the seat to run for U.S. Senate.
Deluzio is an Iraq War veteran and policy director of the University of Pittsburgh’s Institute for Cyber Law, Policy and Security. He lives in Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill, but plans to move into the 17th District. Congressional candidates do not need to live within their districts, just the state they are running in.
In the Democratic primary, Deluzio is being challenged by Sean Meloy of Pittsburgh’s Morningside. Meloy is vice president of the LGBTQ Victory Fund and has garnered endorsements from U.S. Rep. Mike Doyle and state Sen. Lindsey Williams, both Democrats.
Federal Election Commission campaign finance reports show Deluzio had raised more than $350,000 as of the end of last year, while Meloy had raised about $130,000.
Republicans seeking their party’s nomination in the 17th District include former Ross Commissioner Jeremy Shaffer, national security expert Jason Killmeyer of Pittsburgh and Ben Avon small business owner Kathy Coder.
Election analysts project the 17th District as a swing district that will be highly competitive for both Republicans and Democrats.
Ryan Deto is a TribLive reporter covering politics, Pittsburgh and Allegheny County news. A native of California’s Bay Area, he joined the Trib in 2022 after spending more than six years covering Pittsburgh at the Pittsburgh City Paper, including serving as managing editor. He can be reached at rdeto@triblive.com.
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