Mr. Lamb, of Mount Washington, has high name recognition, left over from his 2005 mayoral bid and successful countywide campaigns. Members of the prothonotary's office staff were loyal after-hours backers in that race. He's also got credibility with the corporate community, as a key Democratic backer of county Home Rule in 1998. The downside? His mayoral bid fell short of 25 percent, and he'd have to better that in a field including two other South Hills candidates.