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