PITTSBURGH — The Democratic primary race between incumbent Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey and Corey O’Connor, the Allegheny County controller, has Gainey’s allies crying racism because O’Connor has received donations from Republican donors.

“Can’t wait to see the back flips of the Gainey haters have to try to spin this one,” Bethany Hallam, a left-wing county councilwoman, posted on X in response to a story written by the U.K.-based Guardian raising questions about O’Connor’s donors. The Guardian headline read “Republican donors trying to unseat Pittsburgh’s progressive black mayor.”