1937 Pittsburgh mayoral election

Summary

The Mayoral election of 1937 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania was held on Tuesday, November 2, 1937. Incumbent Democrat Conn Scully, the former City Council President who had assumed the executive rank in October 1936, after the resignation of William McNair, was elected to a first full term.

1937 Pittsburgh mayoral election

← 1933 November 2, 1937 1941 →
 
Nominee Conn Scully Bob Waddell
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 122,329 92,019
Percentage 57.1% 42.9%

Mayor before election

Conn Scully
Democratic

Elected Mayor

Conn Scully
Democratic

Background edit

The McNair administration had been shrouded in controversy, including hostile relations between the mayor and both city council and the county bureaucracy, as well as a slow response to the devastating St. Patrick's Day Flood. Scully had been a vocal McNair adversary and was closely connected to David L. Lawrence, the state party chairman and city political leader (who later became mayor); this position saved the mayor's office for Democrats, who had been only recently empowered in the city. The race featured a strong GOP opponent in Bob Waddell, the popular football coach at Carnegie Tech (now Carnegie Mellon University).

Councilman Abe Wolk made the formation of a Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera a major campaign issue for both candidates.[1]

Results edit

Pittsburgh mayoral election, 1937[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Conn Scully 121,075 56.5
Independent Conn Scully 1,043 0.4
Square Deal Conn Scully 201 0.0
Nonpartisan Conn Scully 10 0.0
Total Conn Scully (incumbent) 122,329 57.1
Republican Bob Waddell 92,019 42.9
Turnout 214,348
Democratic hold Swing

References edit

  1. ^ Barcousky, Len (May 30, 2010). "Eyewitness 1946: CLO overcomes rain, creates a tradition". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved March 20, 2021.
  2. ^ "Scully Majority Officially 30,310". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. November 19, 1937. p. 11.
  • "Republican mayoral candidates through the years". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. November 7, 2007. Retrieved September 18, 2009.
Preceded by
1933
Pittsburgh mayoral election
1937
Succeeded by
1941