Scoop: Steelworkers back Gainey in mayoral race

What they're saying: Bernie Hall, director of United Steelworkers District 10, tells Axios that Gainey has been a consistent presence in USW organizing efforts, which have included grad students at the University of Pittsburgh, staff at Carnegie Museums, and industrial workers in the Mon Valley.

• "Mayor Gainey is out there walking picket lines, and he is just a phone call away. That is hard to find," Hall said. "He has had our backs, so we should have his."

Behind the scenes: USW District 10 covers all of Pennsylvania. Hall said 12,000 union members in the Pittsburgh area will canvass for Gainey.

• The endorsement will come with a campaign contribution, but Hall said the exact amount has not yet been determined.

The big picture: Labor union endorsements aren't everything in mayoral races, but they can have outsized impacts in Democratic primaries, especially in off years when voter turnout is expected to be low.

Flashback: USW backed Gainey's challenger — former Mayor Bill Peduto — in the last mayoral race in 2021.

By the numbers: O'Connor has about $311,000 available in his campaign accounts, while Gainey has $268,000, according to Public Source.

State of play: Gainey and O'Connor faced off in a campaign forum over the weekend, discussing the city's budget, housing policies, and immigration.

• The race has attracted two candidates for the Republican ticket: former Pittsburgh police detective Tony Moreno and Thomas West, owner of Trim Pittsburgh men's clothing store in Lawrenceville.

What's next: The primary election is May 20.