SARA INNAMORATO GIVES HER VICTORY SPEECH TUESDAY NIGHT AFTER CLINCHING THE ALLEGHENY COUNTY EXECUTIVE RACE. | PHOTO BY SHANE DUNLAP, TRIBLIVE

Sara Innamorato has made history.

The progressive Democratic edged ahead of her strong Republican contender Joe Rockey to be elected as the first woman to hold the Allegheny County executive position – the county’s highest office. 

She succeeds the term-limited Rich Fitzgerald, who has held the office for 12 years. She’ll be just the fourth person to hold the job since the position was created in 2000.

According to unofficial election results, she won 186,098 votes or 51.07% of the vote against Rockey’s 177,775 or 48.73% of the vote.

Innamorato, 38, a former Pennsylvania legislator who lives in Lawrenceville, will be sworn into office in January. After the AP declared the winner, she described to supporters her “North Star” as the promise of building an Allegheny for all” that “is transparent, responsive and equitable,” according to PublicSource.

More than $2.5 million was spent in this hotly contested race; it was the most expensive campaign in Allegheny County.

In another tight race, long-time Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala held on to his seat against Democrat Matt Dugan, despite losing the primary and switching parties to Republican to stay on the ballot.

STEPHEN ZAPPALA AT HIS VICTORY PARTY. | PHOTO BY JAMES PAUL | PITTSBURGH MEDIA PARTNERSHIP

Zappala earned 188,215 votes, or 51.4% of the vote and Dugan, 176,559 or 48,35% of the vote.

Even though the Allegheny County executive race is local, it was being watched across the nation as a possible bellwether of what’s to come in the general 2024 election. 

Earlier this month, the Washington Post ran a story that explained how the Allegheny County executive contest “has emerged as a barometer of the national mood. It will help gauge how far to the left Pittsburgh-area voters have moved in recent years, or whether a backlash to Democratic rule is building in an urban area like those that will be key to the party’s 2024 success. The contest will also cement which party controls the local elections board next year in a state where losing Republicans sought to overturn the 2020 results.”