Primary Upsets Bring New Blood To Pittsburgh City Council

Rudiak Wins; Lavelle Ousts Payne; Motznik Gets District Judge Nod

POSTED: 10:51 pm EDT May 19, 2009
UPDATED: 6:08 pm EDT May 20, 2009

PITTSBURGH -- Things are about to change in Pittsburgh City Council, as two new faces won their party nominations in Tuesday's primary Democratic nomination and a longtime incumbent is on his way out.

Political newcomer Natalia Rudiak won a tight Democratic race in District 4, garnering 36 percent of the vote (2,246 total) to hold off Patrick Reilly (33 percent) and Anthony Coghill (30 percent).

Rudiak will be the Democratic candidate in November's election to fill the council seat occupied by Jim Motznik since 2001. Motznik beat Michael Diven to win the party's nod for district judge in the 19th ward, where District Judge Charles McLaughlin will retire at the end of the year.

"If there is an issue that is beneficial to our constituents in District 4, I will take things on a case-by-case basis," Rudiak said Wednesday. "I don't necessarily consider myself lining up with one faction or another. I plan to work with anyone who's interested in working with me."

District 4 covers Brookline, Beechview, Carrick, Overbrook and Bon Air.

In District 6, Robert Daniel Lavelle (45 percent) unseated incumbent Tonya Payne (39 percent) and far outpaced the third candidate, Mark Brentley (16 percent).

District 6 covers Downtown, Hill District, Strip District, North Shore, Bluff and South and West Oakland.

District 2 Councilwoman Theresa Kail-Smith won big with 56 percent of the vote, compared to her two Democratic challengers, Georgia Blotzer (33 percent) and Robert Vincent Frank (11 percent).

District 2 covers Mount Washington, Banksville, Crafton Heights, Duquesne Heights, Elliott, Esplen and other West End neighborhoods.

District 8 Councilman Bill Peduto, who chairs the finance committee and has been pushing for reform, said he welcomes the new blood.

"It really swings City Council, in the sense that now you have six progressive-type, independent-type, reform-type Democrats serving on council come January," Peduto said.