Pa.’s GOP gubernatorial primary campaign tops $20 million
Candidates from left, seeking the Republican Party’s nomination to challenge Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf’s re-election bid next year, Pennsylvania Sen. Scott Wagner R-York County, Laura Ellsworth and Paul Mango. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
(Harrisburg) — Spending in Pennsylvania’s Republican gubernatorial primary campaign passed $20 million, as the candidates headed into the final two weeks of the race with a little over $4 million in the bank, according to reports filed this week with the state elections office.
The reports show Scott Wagner spent $5 million in April, the most of the three Republican candidates who will appear on Tuesday’s primary ballot. Total spending by Wagner and the other two Republican candidates, Paul Mango and Laura Ellsworth, topped $7 million in April, most of it for TV ads.
The trio is vying for the nomination to challenge Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf’s bid for a second term in the November election. Wolf is uncontested in Tuesday’s primary election.
Wagner, a state senator from York County, has made millions in the waste-hauling industry and is the state GOP’s endorsed candidate. Mango is a former health care systems consultant and Ellsworth is a longtime commercial litigation attorneys. Both Mango and Ellsworth are first-time candidates from suburban Pittsburgh.
Wagner headed into May with $2.2 million in the bank, more than Mango’s $1.6 million and Ellsworth’s $410,000. Wolf spent $1.5 million in April, as his campaign began airing TV ads, and he reported $14 million in the bank heading into May.
Spending in the campaign has yet to approach Pennsylvania’s record for a primary. In 2014, four Democratic primary candidates reported spending a combined $36 million, including almost $15 million by Wolf.
Wagner and Mango were again their biggest contributors in April.
Wagner’s donations to himself in the month topped $360,000 when including his in-kind contributions such as for air travel and advertising. Wagner’s total spending since he began running last year has exceeded $12 million, including more than $1.5 million in his own in-kind contributions.
Mango gave himself at least $200,000 in cash in April and raised $335,000 total, although $50,000 of that was from a private equity executive who converted an earlier campaign loan into a campaign contribution.
Mango’s total spending passed $7.5 million, while Ellsworth has spent more than $560,000 and just began airing her first TV ads.
An earlier story appears below.
(Harrisburg) — Spending in the Republican gubernatorial primary campaign has passed $20 million, as the candidates headed into the final two weeks of the race with a little over $4 million in the bank.
Reports filed this week with the state elections office show state Senator Scott Wagner of York County spent $5 million in April, while spending including the other two candidates, Paul Mango and Laura Ellsworth, topped $7 million in the month.
Wagner was again his biggest contributor in April. His total spending has exceeded $12 million, including more than $1.5 million in his own in-kind contributions.
Wagner headed into May with $2.2 million in the bank, more than Mango’s $1.6 million and Ellsworth’s $410,000.
Democratic Governor Tom Wolf spent $1.5 million and had $14 million heading into May.
He’s uncontested in Tuesday’s primary.
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