Scott McMurtry is a proud Pittsburgher with the skills, experience, and values to deliver for District 5.
Scott’s journey to public service began at an early age. As a boy, he spent countless hours listening to his grandfather’s stories about the bold Democratic leadership that achieved remarkable progress for the country when ‘Gramps’ was a younger man: enduring the Great Depression, defeating fascism abroad, building a postwar economy that recognized labor rights and lifted millions of Americans into the middle class, and finally expanding civil rights protections to citizens of every race. These lessons helped shape Scott’s fundamental belief that a well-run government can and should make a positive impact in the lives of those it serves.
As an adult, Scott’s commitment to public service inspired him to pursue a law degree from William & Mary, drawn to the school’s tradition of training “citizen lawyers.” Upon graduating, Scott decided that the traditional practice of law was not the best way for him to make an impact. Instead, he threw himself into Democratic campaigns, working to defeat Donald Trump in 2020 as a Pittsburgh-area field organizer in Joe Biden’s Pennsylvania victory. After another year working on local races, Scott joined the office of Pittsburgh City Councilperson Erika Strassburger, serving as Chief of Staff from 2023 to 2026. Scott helped draft and pass a major affordable housing plan, enhanced protections for domestic violence survivors, authorization for red-light camera enforcement at our most dangerous intersections, and other important legislation.
He was an active member of the City’s Vision Zero working group and its Joint Financial Task Force, consistently pressing for greater transparency as the City’s fiscal situation worsened under the prior mayoral Administration.
Scott and his wife, Kendall, live in Greenfield, where they purchased their first home. He serves on the board of Fishes & Loaves Cooperative Ministries, and previously served on the boards of the Greenfield Community Association and Greenfield Baseball Association, respectively. Scott and Kendall are members of the Jewish Community Center of Squirrel Hill.