Two Possible Mayoral Candidates Take swipe at Ravenstahl's Leadership

The names of two Pittsburgh City Council members are being mentioned as possible mayoral candidates. Patrick Dowd says he is “considering very seriously, carefully and thoughtfully” a run for the office. He says right now he s not thinking about his personal ambitions but more about what the city needs and if he can fill those needs. He says he thinks the city needs leadership and it does not seem to have that right now. Dowd says he is uncertain where the mayor is trying to take the city and he is not sure Luke Ravenstahl has a “vision.” Dowd says he knows is candidacy would be considered a long shot but he says he favors long shots. In the meantime Council President Doug Shields says he is giving strong and very serious consideration to a run. He says he hopes there will be some type of choice for voters in the primary. He says he knows it will be tough to raise money but he says the fact that Ravenstahl has nearly a million dollars in his campaign fund should not discourage any candidate. Shields says the election will be “a referendum on leadership in Pittsburgh.” He says there seems to be a “press release government” mentality and the mayor seems to be involved in “one imbroglio after another.”