Kaitlyn Hughes | features editor

Mayoral candidate and current Allegheny County Controller Corey O’Connor visited campus on Tuesday to speak at one of Duquesne’s public policy classes.

Since taking his position as controller in 2022, O’Connor’s platform has focused on bettering government services for those who experience discrimination, according to his campaign website.  

O’Connor, a Pittsburgh native, is a Duquesne alumnus and son of former mayor Bob O’Connor. Currently running for mayor, O’Connor won the Allegheny County Democratic Committee’s endorsement after a recount on March 1 for the primary on May 20.

“I think it was a huge momentum boost for our campaign,” O’Connor said. “No four-year mayor who sought endorsement has never not won it.”

Mayor Ed Gainey won over former Mayor William Peduto in 2021, but Peduto never sought the endorsement.

Despite his campaign for the upcoming mayoral election, O’Connor’s talk remained nonpartisan and focused instead on specific topics covered in political science Professor Lewis Irwin’s class. Other students in the political science department were also invited to attend.

“I think it’s good to always come to talk to students,” O’Connor said. “[To see] what opportunities can we give you as students to stay in your city.”

During his speech, O’Connor highlighted audits, completed throughout his career that looked into homelessness, mental health, drug addiction and alcohol abuse.

Political science major Will Blumel said that O’Connor emphasized the city’s deficits with a lack of police officers and vacant housing. O’Connor saw these vacant spaces as an opportunity for the city to encourage increased homeownership, Blumel said.

Blumel worked for U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio, D-Pennsylvania in, the past, so this talk gave him the perspective on what smaller level government officials are able to do, he said.

According to his campaign website, O’Connor committed to addressing issues with community and economic development by investing $10 million across 10 business districts in the city, public safety by adequately funding and staffing services and sustainability and climate by reviving the city’s Climate Action Plan, which has not been updated since 2018.

As president of a chapter of Young Democrats, earlier this year, Blumel attended other talks of O’Connor’s that were centered around his run for mayor including one at Chatham University and another at the University of Pittsburgh.

During these events, O’Connor outlined how he was going to solve specific issues as mayor including how the city’s money is currently being mismanaged and instead used for business investments and purchases of utility vehicles, Blumel said.

For JJ Glaneman, a sophomore political science major, the talk was able to answer his current questions about public safety.

As vice president of College Republicans Club, Glaneman said they are not permitted to host a political candidate on campus, so seeing O’Connor speak was a change of pace.

“It’s nice to see the administration allow this to happen,” Glaneman said. “The university is a place where ideas are supposed to be exchanged and created.”

On Oct. 31, The Duke published an article that said if the university hosted a political candidate they would have to host the opposing candidate too.

Because of this rule, Blumel had to travel to other universities in the area to see certain candidates speak during the 2024 presidential election. Since these events were not directly on campus, a lot of Duquesne students did not attend, Blumel said.

To Blumel, it is important for students to hear from people currently active within the government.

“We really care about these issues. We care about the city we live in,” Blumel said. “Getting to hear from the people who are working on these issues is super helpful as political science students.”

College Democrats at Pitt endorsed O’Connor, which, he said, showed to him that his campaign has been built on grassroot efforts.

Despite endorsements, democratic voters do not have to vote the same way.

O’Connors said that his focus on growth and opportunity in the area will set him apart from Gainey. This will be done by bridging the gap between services such as the Department of Human Services and those in need. He also plans to take vacant space and create affordable housing, he said.

“You see opportunity and you serve your people,” O’Connor said. “We deserve better in our city.”

Glaneman is from Eighty Four Pennsylvania, so he cannot vote in the mayoral election, but despite this, after hearing O’Connor’s talk, he said he hopes to see him become mayor.

“He won’t sugar coat these issues,” Glaneman said. “This is someone we need.”