Longtime City Councilman
Bob O'Connor, who was defeated in the Democratic primary for mayor in the previous two elections, won nearly half the vote in a four-way contest. With outgoing executive Murphy deeply unpopular due to a 2003 budgetary crisis, O'Connor, a heated Murphy rival, emerged as the top candidate. His victory came against his legislative partner
Bill Peduto (who would later become Mayor himself), City Controller
Michael Lamb, and former
Allegheny County Councilman Louis "Hop" Kenrick.
The general election was uncompetitive, as is the standard in heavily Democratic Pittsburgh, as O'Connor won by 40 points against Republican attorney Joe Weinroth. A total of 59,961 votes were cast.