Is Scott Wagner using his wallet to shape the Legislature?
State Sen. Scott Wagner addresses the crowd during a Veterans Day breakfast held at the York Expo Center in November. (Photo: Jason Plotkin, York Daily Record)
(York) — In the spring, Scott Wagner sent out a mass email criticizing Jon Ritchie, a Cumberland County Republican and state Senate candidate, for taking money from the state’s largest teachers union. In September and October, Wagner gave more than $400,000 of his own money to defeat an incumbent Democratic state senator in Erie County.
The two races demonstrate how Wagner, a York County Republican state senator, has influenced politics statewide and has helped create a state Senate that’s more conservative on spending and tax issues.
When the new legislative session begins in January, Republicans will have their largest majority in the Pennsylvania state Senate in almost 70 years. They will control 34 of 50 seats.
Some of those state senators won their seats with significant help from Wagner, a frequent critic of public sector unions and the power they have in government. The wealthy businessman has already said he plans to run for governor in 2018, and he intends to write “a significant seven figure check” to his campaign.
The owner and president of Penn Waste Inc. has already put a lot of his money into politics. A YDR analysis of Department of State records found that Wagner has personally given more than $3.2 million in direct contributions or loans to elect state lawmakers, judges and other candidates in Pennsylvania since 2007. The analysis is based on individual contributions of $1,000 or more.
WATCH: STATE SEN. SCOTT WAGNER VIDEOSWatch: Scott Wagner’s top 5 campaign contributions
Mosaic is WITF’s home for all things arts, culture and lifestyle.
We spotlight and uplift the creators around us, featuring amazing artists, musicians, authors, chefs, dancers, designers, photographers, and more.
