The mayoral election of 1997 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania was held on Tuesday, November 4, 1997. The incumbent mayor, Tom Murphy of the Democratic Party was running for a second straight term.
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Democratic primary
editMurphy faced a difficult battle from City Council President Bob O'Connor, who would later go on to become mayor. The incumbent's popularity was waning due to his steadfast of two controversial measures: a tax to construct new stadiums for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Pittsburgh Pirates, and a faltering public-private partnership to purchase vacant Downtown storefronts. The battle was especially tense due to personality differences between the two men that led to frequently clashes over legislation.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Tom Murphy (incumbent) | 35,557 | 53.6 | |
| Democratic | Bob O'Connor | 26,652 | 41.7 | |
| Democratic | Chaston Roston | 3,104 | 4.7 | |
| Total votes | 65,313 | 100 | ||
General Election
editA total of 82,203 votes were cast in the general election. As is typical of races in Pittsburgh, the Democratic candidate won by a large margin over Republican Harry Frost, a construction executive.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Tom Murphy (incumbent) | 63,246 | 76.9 | ||
| Republican | Harry Frost | 17,161 | 20.9 | ||
| Turnout | 82,203 | ||||
| Democratic hold | Swing | ||||
References
edit- "Republican mayoral candidates through the years". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. November 7, 2007. Retrieved September 18, 2009.
| Preceded by 1993 |
Pittsburgh mayoral election 1997 |
Succeeded by 2001 |