Editorial: Political parties in Allegheny need to stop infighting

It is common to see politicians in the nation’s capital attack each other with harsh rhetoric.

What has become even more commonplace is to see the political parties tear themselves apart like a wishbone pulled in two after Thanksgiving.

Pennsylvanians get to watch the ugly spectator sport up close as the same thing happens in Allegheny County.

While Republicans in Washington are split over who is supporting President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill, in Pittsburgh the fight is a little different. It’s also very personal.

Tony Moreno, the GOP nominee for mayor, is not exactly getting a warm welcome from party leaders. Moreno said he was among Pittsburgh candidates who weren’t invited an event at PPG Paints Arena celebrating the U.S. Steel-Nippon Steel deal. The party denies this.

It could be about Moreno, 56, of Brighton Heights not being a cradle Republican. A retired police officer, this isn’t his first run for mayor. Four years ago, he ran as a Democrat, coming in third behind now Mayor Ed Gainey and then-Mayor Bill Peduto. He did, however, score enough GOP write-in votes to make it on the ballot in the fall. In bright blue Pittsburgh, it didn’t matter.

But Allegheny County Republican Chairman Jason Richey and the city’s GOP committee chair Todd McCallum say it is more about avoiding fights.

“We don’t want drama or conflict within our party,” Richey said.

That doesn’t seem to be working, as Moreno is vocal in his pushback.

“It makes them angry that I won’t bow down to the Republican Party,” he told TribLive.

That isn’t a great way to court the votes of the party whose banner you are running under.

The drama isn’t all on the Republican side, however. The Democrats have enough to go around.

Allegheny County Councilwoman Bethany Hallam was rebuked by the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh after sharing a post from a pro-Palestinian activist on social media. It is not the first time Hallam has been vocal in her support of Gaza, especially since the October 2023 Hamas attacks that killed about 1,200 and resulted in 251 hostages being taken.

Hallam defended herself, saying she is “very outspoken” about the Palestinian situation.

To be fair, Hallam’s political career is based on being very outspoken about a lot. She is from a wedge of the Democratic Party that is definitely not the moderate middle.

But Palestine is a narrow line to walk politically. Too far one way, and you are painted as antisemitic. Too far the other, and you are seen as supporting questionable actions by the Israeli government.

Both parties need to stop expecting everyone to walk in lockstep.

There is room in the Republican Party for people who used to be Democrats and feel like they don’t have a home anymore. In Pittsburgh, that’s really the only way for the GOP to survive. However, it’s important for new and old Republicans to find a way to work together instead of arm wrestling for control.

And Democrats need to realize that regardless of the issue, there is a spectrum of thought and support.

Political grudge matches are nothing new, but can we just be done with forcing people into boxes?

Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story said Moreno claimed he was not invited to the Trump event. The event in question occurred May 29, the day before Trump’s visit.