Wagner edges out Mango in cash for GOP governor's primary race
York County state Sen. Scott Wagner, who edged out businessman Paul Mango in end-of-year 2017 cash totals in the race for governor, received a ringing endorsement from the state Republican Party at its annual winter retreat.
The Pennsylvania primary is May 15, when one Republican in the now three-way race for the GOP nominee will be selected. The nominee will oppose incumbent Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf.
Wagner and Mango contributed millions of their own money to their campaigns. Speaker of the House of Representatives Mike Turzai, who dropped out during the winter retreat, was $4 million behind the two fundraising front-runners. Lawyer Laura Ellsworth didn't break $1 million in her fundraising efforts, according to campaign finance reports.
More:Wagner puts millions in Pennsylvania gubernatorial run
More:GOP endorses Wagner for governor, Turzai drops out of race
Unions donated most of Wolf's $11 million campaign war chest, reports showed.
The deadline for candidates to file to run is March 6.
Candidate: Republican
State Sen. Scott Wagner, businessman
Ending Cash Balance 2017:
$5,919,757.84
Top 5 Donors:
Scott Wagner, York, Penn Waste president — $1.7 million
York Building Products Co. Inc. Political Action Committee, York — $250,000
State Sen. John DiSanto, Harrisburg, real estate investor — $105,000
John Arnold, Jonestown, PPC Lubricants chairman — $100,000
Scott Wagner for Senate, Manchester — $55,000
Candidate: Republican
Paul Mango, retired businessman, Army veteran
Ending Cash Balance 2017:
$5,523,854.22
Top 5 Donors:
Paul Mango, Gibsonia, McKinsey & Company director, retired — $6.7 million
Patrick Hampson, Gibsonia, retired — $110,000
Western Pennsylvania Laborers Political Action Fund, Pittsburgh — $60,000
Kevin Speicher, Wilmette, Illinois, McKinsey & Co. — $50,000
Todd Bluedorn, Richardson, Texas, Lennox International CEO — $25,000
David R. Pelizzon, Granby, Connecticut, Squadron Capital president — $25,000
Jennifer N. Pritzker, Chicago, Illinois, Tawani Enterprises — $25,000
Candidate: Republican
*Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives Mike Turzai dropped out of the race at the annual state Republican Party winter retreat.
Ending Cash Balance 2017:
$1,023,436.77
Top 5 Donors:
Consol Energy Inc. Political Action Committee, Canonsburg — $25,000
Education Opportunity Political Action Committee, Valley Forge — $25,000
Morgan K. O'Brien, Pittsburgh, Duquesne Light Executive — $25,000
Exelon Political Action Committee, Washington, D.C. — $12,500
Apartment Association of PA Political Action Committee, Bala Cynwyd — $10,000
Frank R. Zokaites, Wexford — $10,000
Matthew Schneider, Wexford — $10,000
William Brown, Sewickley — $10,000
Candidate: Republican
Laura Ellsworth, lawyer
Ending Cash Balance 2017:
$417,244.52
Top 5 Donors:
Charles L. Hammel III, Sewickley, Pitt Ohio LLC president — $40,000
Roy Powell, Pittsburgh, Jones Day, attorney — $20,000
Laura Ellsworth, Pittsburgh, Jones Day, attorney — $15,000
G. Nicholas Beckwith III, Pittsburgh, Arch Street Management LLC chairman and CEO — $10,000
Lois Ann Bielat, Wexford, retired, — $10,000
Leon Dejulius Jr., Cranberry Township, Jones Day, associate — $10,000
Gerald MacCleary, Venetia, Covestro LLC president — $10,000
Paul Pohl, Pittsburgh, Jones Day, attorney — $10,000
John P. Surma, Pittsburgh, U.S. Steel retired — $10,000
Incumbent: Democrat
Gov. Tom Wolf, businessman
Ending Cash Balance 2017:
$11,061,206.47
Top 5 Donors:
Fairness PA, Philadelphia — $1 million
American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, Washington, D.C. — $505,000
Pennsylvania State Education Association Political Action Committee for Education, Harrisburg — $382,500
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Political Action Committee, Washington, D.C. — $277,500
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 5, Pittsburgh — $267,500