Armed with 159 separate contributions — including maxed out donations from Dan Gilman and Bill Peduto’s election committee — Erika Strassburger took a commanding lead in fundraising in Pittsburgh’s March 6 special election by raking just over $91,241 in January, according to city campaign finance reports.
The election for city council’s District 8, which includes a central chunk of the affluent East End, is to replace former city councilman Gilman after he resigned to become Mayor Peduto’s new chief of staff in early January.