district website predecessor birth_place party state_house birth_date term_start residence article_title name alma_mater
24th -lsb- http://edgainey.com/] joseph preston , jr. . pittsburgh , pennsylvania democratic pennsylvania 19 february 1970 2013 pittsburgh , pennsylvania edward gainey
 ed gainey morgan state university
edward gainey

edward `` ed '' gainey is a democratic member of the pennsylvania house of representatives , serving since 2013 .
in 2012 , gainey defeated his former boss , joseph preston , jr. , in a democratic primary .
gainey has also served as a community development specialist for pittsburgh mayor luke ravenstahl , and as the chairman of the pittsburgh democratic committee .
he has represented the 24th district since 2013 .
his district includes many majority african american neighborhoods in pittsburgh , including homewood , east liberty , east hills , and lincoln-lemington , plus the similar adjacent municipality of wilkinsburg .
gainey grew up in east liberty and is a graduate of peabody high school .
he holds a bachelor 's degree in business management from morgan state university .
gainey long held the job of legislative aide to state representative joseph preston , jr. .
he later took a position with the city of pittsburgh in a community and economic development role , focusing on enhancing minority business opportunities and bettering relationships with the police .
in 2010 , he became chairman of the city 's democratic party committee .
gainey challenged his former boss rep. preston three times before prevailing in the 2012 democratic primary .
