'Thank You, Pittsburgh': O'Connor hits the streets in appreciation of voters

Standing in a light rain in Pittsburgh’s Brookline neighborhood Wednesday morning, Corey O’Connor recalled how his father had shown gratitude to the voters who elected him to City Council and then mayor’s office.

His father, the late Bob O’Connor, had gone into the basement the morning after he was first elected to City Council in 1991 and crafted a sign thanking voters. He took it to the streets of Squirrel Hill to show residents he appreciated their support.

O’Connor carried on his father’s tradition when he was elected to City Council.

And the day after winning Pittsburgh’s Democratic mayoral primary, O’Connor took a blue-and-red sign reading “Thank You Pittsburgh” for a quick tour around the city.

He started the day in Squirrel Hill with his wife and kids before making a stop at Brookline Boulevard and Pioneer Avenue around morning rush hour. He planned to hold up his sign at a few more intersections during the evening commute.

“It’s just a thank-you to everybody,” O’Connor said, holding the sign, which dripped red ink, wet from the rain, onto his hands and shorts. “We wouldn’t be here without the people of Pittsburgh.”

O’Connor on Tuesday defeated incumbent Mayor Ed Gainey, tallying nearly 53% of the votes, compared to Gainey’s 47%.

“We still have a long way to go, but we’re excited the first step is done,” O’Connor said Wednesday morning, acknowledging he still has to win the general election, where he’ll face Republican Tony Moreno, a former city police officer.

Cars honked and people rolled down their windows to holler “congratulations” as O’Connor waved and held up his sign. He sometimes jogged into the street to greet people stopped at a red light.

O’Connor’s father served less than a year as mayor before dying of brain cancer at 61 in 2006. But O’Connor Tuesday night said he learned a lot from his dad.

“He always said the No.1 priority of this job are the people of Pittsburgh,” O’Connor said. “You have to have that mindset.”