REV. JOHN WELCH
The New Pittsburgh Courier sat down with Rev. John Welch on May 14 to discuss the upcoming May 21 primary election. Reverend Welch launched his mayoral campaign in January 2017 against current Mayor Bill Peduto. Reverend Welch was vying to become Pittsburgh’s first African American mayor. Mayor Peduto won the Democratic primary election in May 2017.
NPC: What is the largest “uphill battle” that African American candidates, say, for City Council or Allegheny County DA, have to fight in order to defeat a well-known Caucasian candidate?
REV. WELCH: The largest “uphill battle” for African American candidates in any political campaign is gaining the confidence of the African American voters coupled with our voter turnout. We can win almost every campaign on the city and county level if we voted as a block. However, in the near future that hill will become a wall with the way communities are being gentrified.
People have constantly said they will not vote for a candidate just because he/she is Black and that makes sense. But it’s also important to be a smart voter and become familiar with the candidates you plan to vote for. Lastly, If Mark Brentley wins the District 1 May primary, it will be the first time in Pittsburgh’s history that we will have three African-Americans on City Council. This is significant as over-development continues to push low income, and particularly African American, residents out of the city.
NPC: Who are you endorsing in the May 21 primary and why?
REV. WELCH: I am endorsing Turahn Jenkins for DA for several reasons. Turahn has the experience having worked in both the Public Defender’s office and the District Attorney’s office. Second, I believe no candidate should ever run unopposed and that has been the case for the current DA, Stephen A. Zappala, for over 20 years.
In the District 1 City Council race I am endorsing Mark Brentley. Mark has demonstrated for years his willingness to fight for what’s right and not what’s popular. For Superior Court I am endorsing Amanda Green-Hawkins. She has been in elected office before, is highly qualified and we need more African Americans in the judicial system. I am not endorsing any candidate in District 9. Rev. Burgess will win the May primary because there are way too many candidates in the field. The same thing happened four years ago.
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