Pennsylvania gubernatorial election, 2018 (May 15 Republican primary)
- General election: Nov. 6
- Voter registration deadline: Oct. 9
- Early voting: N/A
- Absentee voting deadline: Nov. 2
- Online registration: Yes
- Same-day registration: No
- Voter ID: No
- Poll times: 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
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Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania |
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Democratic primary Republican primary General election |
Election details |
Filing deadline: March 6, 2018 |
Primary: May 15, 2018 General: November 6, 2018 Pre-election incumbent(s): Gov. Tom Wolf (Democrat) Lt. Gov. Mike Stack (Democrat) |
How to vote |
Poll times: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voting in Pennsylvania |
Race ratings |
Sabato's Crystal Ball: Safe Democratic Inside Elections: Likely Democratic |
Ballotpedia analysis |
Federal and state primary competitiveness State executive elections in 2018 Impact of term limits in 2018 State government trifectas State government triplexes Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2018 |
Pennsylvania executive elections |
Governor |
Scott Wagner won the May 15 Republican primary for governor of Pennsylvania. Wagner received 44.3 percent of the vote to Paul Mango's 36.9 percent and Laura Ellsworth's 18.8 percent.[1]
A state senator who owns a waste disposal business, Wagner early on emphasized his electability and business experience, running ads targeting incumbent Gov. Tom Wolf (D). The Republican Party of Pennsylvania endorsed Wagner.[2]
Mango emphasized his business and military credentials. Like Wagner, Mango positioned himself as a counterweight to a corrupt and detached Harrisburg.
Ellsworth, an attorney, emphasized her status as a political outsider. She did not start airing ads until May 2, when she launched an ad containing clips of her opponents' ads targeting each other.
Wagner and Mango aired ads targeting each other, with Wagner referring to Mango as a liberal and Mango accusing Wagner, a former landlord, of predatory practices.
The incumbent, Gov. Tom Wolf (D), was elected in 2014, and was the only Democratic gubernatorial candidate that year to successfully flip a governor's seat from Republican to Democrat.
Candidates and election results
Scott Wagner defeated Paul Mango and Laura Ellsworth in the Republican primary for Governor of Pennsylvania on May 15, 2018.
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Governor of Pennsylvania
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | ![]() | Scott Wagner | 44.3 | 326,612 |
![]() | Paul Mango | 36.9 | 271,857 | |
![]() | Laura Ellsworth | 18.8 | 138,843 |
Total votes: 737,312 | ||||
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Candidate profiles
Laura Ellsworth
At the time of her entrance to the 2018 election, Ellsworth was an attorney with law firm Jones Day. She had not previously sought elected office.
In her October 2017 announcement speech, Ellsworth emphasized her professional background: "During my career in the private sector I’ve been a solutions oriented leader, creating diverse coalitions to tackle major problems...That’s exactly the approach I’ll bring to Harrisburg. As governor my priority will be people, not politics. For me, being governor is about doing something not being somebody."[3] On her campaign website's home page, Ellsworth said "I’m not a professional politician, you bet I’m not, and that’s exactly what we need right now."[4] The website emphasized Ellsworth's stances on jobs and the economy, long-term planning, and energy.[5]
Paul Mango
At the time of his entrance to the 2018 election, Mango worked with consulting firm McKinsey. He has served as a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division. Mango had not previously sought elected office.
In his May 2017 announcement speech, Mango expressed his dissatisfaction with sitting Gov. Tom Wolf (D): "I refer to him as Thomas "The Tax Engine" Wolf. He has never met a tax he doesn't like."[6] On his campaign website's homepage, Mango said "The time for incremental change is now past. Harrisburg needs nothing short of transformational change."[7] The website highlighted Mango's stances on jobs, taxes, and budgeting.
Mango was endorsed by Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR).
Scott Wagner
Wagner was first elected to the Pennsylvania State Senate in a special election in 2014, becoming the first write-in candidate to win election to the chamber. At the time of the 2018 campaign, Wagner served as the chairman of the Local Government Committee and as the vice-chairman of the Labor & Industry Committee.
In his January 2017 announcement speech, Wagner criticized the first term of Gov. Tom Wolf (D): "Pennsylvanians are becoming more frustrated. It's very simple. Governor Wolf is a failed governor."[8] Wagner's campaign website said that "Governor Tom Wolf promised us a Fresh Start, but he and the entrenched political class have done nothing to reverse course. In fact, they’ve given us more of the same by continuing the failure of Harrisburg’s tax, borrow, and spend mentality that has kept Pennsylvania BROKE and BROKEN."[9] The website emphasized Wagner's stances on the economy, budgeting, and education.
Wagner was endorsed by Rep. Scott Perry (R), Gov. Larry Hogan (R-MD), and the Republican Party of Pennsylvania.
Timeline
- May 4, 2018: Laura Ellsworth (R), Paul Mango (R), and Scott Wagner (R) attend the campaign's third debate in Lancaster. The Philadelphia Inquirer endorses Laura Ellsworth (R).
- April 25, 2018: Laura Ellsworth (R), Paul Mango (R), and Scott Wagner (R) attend the campaign's fourth candidate forum in Lancaster County.
- April 24, 2018: Former presidential candidate Carly Fiorina (R) endorses Laura Ellsworth (R).
- March 5, 2018: Laura Ellsworth (R), Paul Mango (R), and Scott Wagner (R) attend the campaign's second debate in Philadelphia.
- March 1, 2018: Laura Ellsworth (R), Paul Mango (R), and Scott Wagner (R) attend the campaign's first debate in Pittsburgh.
- January 10, 2018: Laura Ellsworth (R), Paul Mango (R), Mike Turzai (R), and Scott Wagner (R) attend the campaign's third candidate forum in Pittsburgh.
- January 4, 2018: Laura Ellsworth (R), Paul Mango (R), Mike Turzai (R), and Scott Wagner (R) attend the campaign's second candidate forum, hosted in Hollidaysburg.
- October 19, 2017: Laura Ellsworth (R), Paul Mango (R), and Scott Wagner (R) attend a candidate forum in Montgomery County.
- September 26, 2017: Former Senior Counselor to the President Steve Bannon endorses Scott Wagner.
- May 31, 2017: Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) endorses Paul Mango (R).
Endorsements
Republican candidate endorsements | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Endorsement | Date | Wagner | Mango | Ellsworth |
Federal officials | ||||
Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA)[10] | October 3, 2017 | ✔ | ||
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR)[11] | May 31, 2017 | ✔ | ||
National figures | ||||
Former presidential candidate Carly Fiorina (R)[12] | April 24, 2018 | ✔ | ||
Former Senior Counselor to the President Steve Bannon[13] | September 26, 2017 | ✔ | ||
Gov. Larry Hogan (R-MD)[14] | July 19, 2017 | ✔ | ||
State figures | ||||
State Sen. Mike Regan (R)[10] | October 3, 2017 | ✔ | ||
State Rep. Seth Grove (R)[10] | October 3, 2017 | ✔ | ||
State Rep. Keith Gillespie (R)[10] | October 3, 2017 | ✔ | ||
State Rep. Dawn Keefer (R)[10] | October 3, 2017 | ✔ | ||
State Rep. Kate Anne Klunk (R)[10] | October 3, 2017 | ✔ | ||
State Rep. Kristin Hill (R)[10] | October 3, 2017 | ✔ | ||
State Rep. Stanley Saylor (R)[10] | October 3, 2017 | ✔ | ||
Local figures | ||||
Beaver County Commissioner Dan Camp[15] | March 23, 2018 | ✔ | ||
Beaver County Commissioner Sandie Egley[15] | March 23, 2018 | ✔ | ||
Blair County Commissioner Bruce Erb[15] | March 23, 2018 | ✔ | ||
Butler County Commissioner Kim Geyer[15] | March 23, 2018 | ✔ | ||
Butler County Commissioner Leslie Osche[15] | March 23, 2018 | ✔ | ||
Clinton County Commissioner Pete Smeltz[15] | March 23, 2018 | ✔ | ||
Clinton County Commissioner Jeffrey Snyder[15] | March 23, 2018 | ✔ | ||
Beaver County Commissioner Sandie Egley[15] | March 23, 2018 | ✔ | ||
Fayette County Commissioner Angela Zimmerlink[15] | March 23, 2018 | ✔ | ||
Greene County Commissioner Archie Trader[15] | March 23, 2018 | ✔ | ||
Mifflin County Commissioner Stephen Dunkle[15] | March 23, 2018 | ✔ | ||
Northumberland County Commissioner Samuel Schiccatano[15] | March 23, 2018 | ✔ | ||
Tioga County Commissioner Joseph Kantz[15] | March 23, 2018 | ✔ | ||
Tioga County Commissioner Lee Knepp[15] | March 23, 2018 | ✔ | ||
Tioga County Commissioner Mark Hamilton[15] | March 23, 2018 | ✔ | ||
Union County Commissioner Preston Boop[15] | March 23, 2018 | ✔ | ||
Warren County Commissioner Benjamin Kafferlin[15] | March 23, 2018 | ✔ | ||
Westmoreland County Commissioner Charles Anderson[15] | March 23, 2018 | ✔ | ||
York County Commissioner Chris Reilly[10] | October 3, 2017 | ✔ | ||
Dauphin County Commissioner Jeff Haste[16] | July 25, 2017 | ✔ | ||
Snyder County Commissioner Joe Kantz[16] | July 25, 2017 | ✔ | ||
Berks County Commissioner Christian Leinbach[16] | July 25, 2017 | ✔ | ||
Washington County Commissioner Diana Irey Vaughan[16] | July 25, 2017 | ✔ | ||
Activist and former radio host Glen Meakem[17] | May 25, 2017 | ✔ | ||
Organizations | ||||
The Unionville Times[18] | May 7, 2018 | ✔ | ||
The Coatesville Times[19] | May 7, 2018 | ✔ | ||
The Philadelphia Inquirer[20] | May 4, 2018 | ✔ | ||
The Patriot-News/PennLive.com[21] | May 4, 2018 | ✔ | ||
Family Research Council Action PAC[22] | April 12, 2018 | ✔ | ||
Republican Party of Pennsylvania[2] | February 10, 2018 | ✔ | ||
Luzerne County Republican Party[23] | November 28, 2017 | ✔ |
Campaign themes and policy stances
Campaign themes
Laura Ellsworth
“ |
Delivering on the Promise of Pennsylvania It is time for the citizens–who know how to run businesses and raise families and contribute in meaningful ways to our communities–to reclaim our government. Providing an economic environment that generates good private-sector jobs for Pennsylvanians is the first order of business for government. That requires two basic things: a clear business plan and a sound budget process. And the vision, resolve, and experience to deliver on both. No more dysfunction, no more wasted time and wasted taxes. It is time for us to have leadership who understands that their only job is to actually GET THINGS DONE, and deliver on the promise of Pennsylvania, for the people of Pennsylvania. HERE IS HOW THAT CAN BE DONE: 1. A Clear, Unambiguous Commitment to Job Creation 2. Creation of a Council on Economic Development and a Governor's Outreach Team 3. Develop 'the Map': A Visual Depiction of What we Want Pennsylvania to be 10 Years from now We need to come together around a common vision of what our state should look like ten years from now. That vision then presents a roadmap so that everyone who cares about delivering that future for Pennsylvania is welcome at the table to roll up their sleeves and work together to get it done. The Map is a visual depiction of that common vision of what we want Pennsylvania to look like 10 years from now. Not everyone will agree with every part. But with a comprehensive plan, every Pennsylvanian will see a role that they can play in delivering on that vision. The Map is an illustration of what we choose our destiny to be, and it reveals that we already have all the things that we need to be the #1 place to live and work in the United States. All we need is the vision, energy, and discipline to bring them together with a common purpose and resolve. This Map of Pennsylvania will show:
And there is so much more. An initial draft of The Map would be created within my first 30 days in office and then opened to a collaborative public comment process, with finalization of The Map within our first six months in office. The Map will remain a living document, subject to refinement and enhancement as events evolve, but it will be the key planning document around which our agenda will evolve. It will also provide a way for citizens to hold government accountable, because each year, we will report progress toward those goals, so that citizens can determine for themselves whether they are being well-served by their leaders. That kind of long-term comprehensive planning is critical to the complex and time- and capital-intensive infrastructure projects necessary to bring Pennsylvania into the future. Large transportation and infrastructure projects call for planning that is (1) Comprehensive; they need to interconnect with one another and with centers of business, education, population, and transportation now and in the future, and therefore require a strong partner at the state-planning level; (2) Predictable: these projects require long-term and stable funding and therefore cannot operate effectively in a chaotic and unpredictable environment (such as, where funds dedicated to transportation are raided to provide immediate funding solutions for a budget gap, as was done in the most recent budget); and (3) Focused and urgent: as with any highly complex and large-scope project, it will founder if not delivered with focus and urgency to see it through to completion. At present, our state lacks comprehensive planning, predictability, focus, and urgency. Top-down leadership from the Governor can go a long way to correcting that and enabling transportation and infrastructure growth that our state needs. Finally, the focused, organized, and coherent business plan embodied in The Map will help restore our recently decimated state credit rating, thereby reducing state borrowing costs and the additional taxpayer burdens those borrowing costs have imposed. 4. Energy Policy Low energy cost is important to every family in Pennsylvania. And it is vital to economic development and job creation as well. Energy is one of the largest cost components of manufacturing, and transmission is one of the largest components of energy cost. Therefore, a proximate source of energy is a huge economic advantage for business. Here in Pennsylvania, we sit atop one of the largest sources of natural gas in the world, with the potential to deliver to the United States complete energy independence from foreign energy supply. We are blessed with extensive coal resources that have supported generations of hardworking families and are now becoming free of unreasonable regulation that have hampered their growth, so they again can be a significant driver of jobs and economic development here in Pennsylvania. We have solar, and wind, and nuclear assets that present a diversified portfolio of energy assets that can be deployed in many different ways. The state government must be a good steward of this tremendous resource and work collaboratively with the private sector while maintaining rational environmental standards, to responsibly leverage these vital energy assets. Developing our energy sector in a smart way will boost manufacturing, create jobs, make Pennsylvania an attractive place to work and employ people, and overall boost the economy and productivity of our state. Today, Harrisburg is too focused on how to bleed tax dollars out of the industry in the near term rather than how to develop strategies that will maximize the asset to the benefit of Pennsylvania’s families consistent with The Map’s 10-year Plan. Now, tax policy is being used by politicians to solve the immediate fiscal problems created by their own lack of planning and discipline. We should not allow the development of our precious energy assets to be squandered to protect political futures. The future of Pennsylvania and Pennsylvania families is what counts, and we need a leader in Pennsylvania who will make sure that the 10-year future of Pennsylvania families comes before the short-term interests of Pennsylvania politicians. Finally, the development of Pennsylvania’s energy sector is good for not only its citizens, but for the country. Example: Russia is a long-standing threat to the United States, and it derives a significant percentage of its government funds from its sales of natural gas to Europe. Shipping Pennsylvania gas to Europe provides a way for us to fight the Russians with our natural gas, rather than with our brave young men and women, all while providing jobs and economic development to Pennsylvania. Washington is too divided and distracted at the moment to focus on what a tremendous asset Pennsylvania presents to the nation. We need a Governor who can organize the business leaders in the industry and put together a convincing case to be made to Washington about the geopolitical asset present here in Pennsylvania. Developing joint state-federal priorities for the development of our natural energy resources will increase demand and job creation here at home and will support our national security interests around the world. Having worked for a major international firm for 25 years, I understand how those conversations occur, and as a lawyer for 35 years, I know how to make an effective case that wins the day. The Governor needs to be that active and vocal voice in Washington for the people of Pennsylvania. 5. Taxes In order for Pennsylvania to compete with other states for new business, we need to: 1. Reduce the 9.99% Corporate Net Income Tax We also need to reorganize DCED, which currently operates multiple programs in silos, rather than as one comprehensive plan for the economic development of the state. Using The Map to drive economic development initiatives will deliver more coordinated and effective investments for Pennsylvania. Property Tax: Our property tax issue is a pension issue; the primary driver of recent increases in property taxes is teacher pensions. We need to address our pension underfunding issue, while keeping the promises we have made to teachers who have worked and saved their whole careers. We will address approaches to the pension issue in a separate briefing document, but it is a problem that was years in the making, and it will take years to correct it. In the meantime, we need to protect our citizens against the harm that flows from the underfunding problem with which decades of politicians have saddled us all. For example, we should freeze property taxes for any individual who has been paying property taxes in Pennsylvania for at least 35 years. That provides protection for our seniors, who must live on a fixed income and cannot bear the increase of their property taxes. Finally, we need to break away from the limited thinking that the only choice we have is to raise taxes or cut spending. We must find creative ways to fund important initiatives, including through public-private partnerships (P3s). We also need to find ways to address multiple problems with one fix. For example, we should explore working with the pension funds to have them invest some of the $73 billion in public pension funds in the development of pad-ready manufacturing sites, giving the Funds competitive return on investment plus dedicated tax revenues for a period of 10 years. This way, the Pension Funds help solve the pension funding problem, while simultaneously growing the pension funds themselves, and also fostering economic development and job creation. We also should explore selling our state store system and applying the proceeds to pay down the pension underfunding and thereby reduce property taxes. That way, we provide broader selection and availability for our consumers, while simultaneously reducing property taxes, and also shoring up our pension system, which, in turn, results in greater economic security for the many Pennsylvanians who have spent their careers in teaching, public safety, and administration. Finally, we should be using social impact investing to address difficult public problems. Social impact investing involves the private sector developing actual programs that solve public problems, which the government then “purchases” but only if the program demonstrably works. These solutions not only use private financing, but also private-sector design and expertise in finding solutions to problems. Other states are using these kinds of solutions, but Pennsylvania has lacked the business sophistication necessary to strike these deals to the benefit of Pennsylvanians. A sophisticated business person in the Governor’s chair, with experience in the P3 field, will solve that problem and allow Pennsylvania to develop this new and important funding sector. 6. Regulatory Reform
Government is a customer-service business. If a customer (the citizens of Pennsylvania) isn’t being served, then the business (the state government) has to be changed. None of these reforms require expensive investments. They require discipline and accountability and professionalism, and that is what we will restore to Pennsylvania. 7. Workforce Let’s stop the endless discussion about “trade school versus college” and create a solution that solves multiple problems at once. For example, let’s bring together our good trade schools and our Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (“PASSHE”) schools and develop new collaborative 2-year certificate programs designed around the in-demand jobs that already have been identified by a multitude of well-conducted studies across the state. That way, our students actually attend college and also obtain the ability to get a good paying job that utilizes the technical skills they learned during those two years. In addition, let’s allow qualified 11th and 12th graders to obtain college credit by participating in those programs, just as some of our high school juniors and seniors can now participate in college-level classes for academic credit. That way, a student could finish 12th grade with an ability to have a college experience and walk right into a solid in-demand job. This would address the universal desire for a college credential and experience while also bringing students into our underutilized PASSHE schools and help maintain those campuses throughout Pennsylvania. In addition, it would help people earn money for further education, rather than being saddled with huge student debt for decades to come. To develop curricula that deliver people ready for in-demand jobs, we should foster a system where adjunct faculty members from the private sector are actively involved in developing and/or conducting workforce development programs. Too often, those programs are on autopilot, teaching outmoded skills to unmotivated students. We need to have job creators actively involved in real time in the development and provision of workforce programs, with a specific targeted job opportunity within the view of the program participant. Under the auspices of the Governor’s office, we also should convene an annual Governor’s Workforce Summit, which would include representatives of the top job-producers in the state, as well as workforce providers and academia. The goal of the Summit would be to identify the job needs for the coming year and to confirm that the programs and academic organizations have curricula in place that will prepare job seekers for those available positions. The Summit also would provide linkages that would foster ongoing active involvement between programs and the business sector. We also are missing a huge workforce opportunity by overlooking our veterans. Many of our Pennsylvania sons and daughters are serving in the US Military, the majority of them highly trained and disciplined, often with a military spouse who is the same. We should have an organized system of reaching out to those service men and women with Pennsylvania roots, matching their military job codes with the job codes of our in-demand jobs. There currently are thousands of open jobs here in the Commonwealth, and it is the right thing to do – for both our state and for our country – to actively encourage our service men and women to come home to Pennsylvania, and bring with them all of the skills, training, discipline, and commitment to mission that will guarantee their successful transition to civilian life here at home in Pennsylvania. Finally, our workforce programs must include our young people. We cannot simply tell them about the freedom and dignity that comes from receiving a paycheck. We need to demonstrate that to them. Over the last several years, the Learn & Earn program in Western Pennsylvania has provided thousands of paid summer jobs to kids from many different communities. The founding of that system required the organization of the foundation, business, academic, provider and government communities, but that union produced a quality program for our young people. Programs like that could and should exist in every community in Pennsylvania. And a Governor who has experienced those programs from the inside would also be aware of the changes that are necessary at the state level to facilitate improvement in those programs, including uniform credentialing standards, the creation of “resumes” for kids who participate over multiple summers, and the organized ability to move kids through increasingly more sophisticated job opportunities over sequential summers. Evaluating workforce training and education by ensuring that our programs are up to date with demand and provide an existing ROI will keep us competitive and keep jobs in PA. It will also provide bright futures for our families and young people and be a material part of delivering on the promise of Pennsylvania for all our citizens. Instead of passively legislating on trite labels and outmoded ideas, let’s keep our kids and jobs in Pennsylvania by providing real and meaningful options to do so. One way to keep people in PA is identifying citizens serving in the military and giving them credentials for skills developed in the military so as to move them into the workforce back home. 8. Education Education choice: The need for choice is based on two simple truths about people, including both kids and parents: 1. Not all kids are alike; different kids will thrive in different environments, and they need more than one option to find the place that is best for them to excel. The students must be at the core of everything we do. Our schools exist for the benefit of our kids, and that benefit must be the sole metric that drives our school policy. All investments in schools should be dependent on continued improvement in student outcomes. That is not to say that we will be blind to the fact that some schools face greater challenges with their populations. But we can no longer accept the excuse that some of our children cannot receive an effective education until we solve poverty, or fix the breakdown of the family, or the violence that plagues the communities of too many of our students. We will no longer be willing to sacrifice a generation of our children by accepting those excuses. We must meet our children–all our children–where we find them and develop multi-faceted educational solutions that give them the opportunity to exercise their God-given talents and live a life of independence, dignity, and purpose, regardless of the circumstances into which they were born. To develop those solutions:
9. Right to Work As a matter of competition, we lose not only potential but existing businesses to other states because those states have passed right-to-work legislation. As a matter of conscience, no one should be required to pay dues to a union they don’t believe serves their interests, in order to have the right to work in a workplace of their choice. Our union workforce brings many benefits to the workplaces in the Commonwealth, including in training, safety, and identification of operational efficiencies and innovation. There are many ways that unions and businesses can work together to advance the economic growth of Pennsylvania. But violating individual conscience and liberty to work are not among them. 10. Restore Budget Discipline and Transparency Since Governor Wolf took office, the Pennsylvania budget process has been a chaotic mess. In fact, this Governor has not signed a single budget in the three years that he has been in office, and in two of those three years, the budget that he allowed to lapse into law without his signature was so overdue that it placed severe burdens on those organizations, like homeless shelters, schools, and social service agencies, that care for our most vulnerable citizens, and had to turn away clients because they had no way of knowing whether they would receive funding or not. This recent budget cycle was the most disastrous of all, resulting in a credit downgrade that left Pennsylvania with one of the worst credit ratings in the entire nation. As every citizen knows, a bad credit rating means that borrowing costs more. So what did Pennsylvania politicians do? They decided to borrow over 1.5 billion, which cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars more in debt service costs, virtually mortgaging our children’s future. And Governor Wolf is now talking about borrowing even more. The “no tax increases” Harrisburg trumpets are a fiction; the reality is that massive borrowing, done AFTER we killed our debt rating, will cost us money that will need to be paid by the taxpayers. This year’s budget also raided dedicated funds that had been earmarked for important purposes, like improving our roads and bridges. This robbing Peter to pay Paul happened in 11th hour sessions, months overdue, with the panic of education and social service funding crises looming in the near future, in 900-page legislation that was rushed through with no opportunity for careful assessment or transparency. And, worst of all, rather than being a budget that is based on taxes derived from our citizens making things, and building things and growing things, this budget is ever more dependent on our citizens smoking, drinking, gambling and, soon, smoking pot. What have we become? And all for what? For the third year in a row, the Governor has not actively helped to trim spending, or actively participated in the budget process at all. That lack of leadership has resulted on a downward trajectory for our entire state, when by all rights, we should be growing faster than any other state in the nation. Lack of leadership and lack of transparency in Harrisburg has brought our great state to its knees, and we are being stampeded like cattle over the financial cliff. It is time that we, as citizens said … enough. We need to fundamentally transform how our budgets are created and how our government is run. On the Budget, as Governor, I would:
Finally, we need to bring Transparency back to state government. We need a top-to-bottom audit of Government spending, which includes an inventory of the state’s real estate assets. Just about everyone can identify a state facility in their community that is underutilized or wasted entirely. Identifying more productive and collaborative uses for existing state properties, or divesting them entirely should be a priority. Departmental consolidation and the increased use of technology to deliver superior customer service at reduced cost should be pursued by a dedicated Task Force, led by a senior member of the Governor’s staff who has expertise in the technology sector. Public-private partnerships should be actively sought so that we do not have government agencies reinventing the wheel when on the shelf solutions already exist. The technology used every day in the private sector throughout Pennsylvania government is generations behind, and we need to fix that problem by leveraging the expertise and resources of the private sectors already familiar with these systems. Finally, every agency should be tasked with reducing expenses 3% every year, without adversely affecting the customer experience. The success in achieving this metric should be rewarded at budget time, with priority given to those programs that have effectively controlled their cost structures. Conclusion A great American statesman once said: “Destiny is not a matter of chance; it is a matter of choice.” It is time for us to exercise the choice to reclaim our destiny from the politicians. As citizens, and as mothers and fathers, and as businesspeople, and as community leaders, and as people of faith, and as those who understand the remarkable neighbors who work every day to make our communities better, it is time for us to step forward and demand a government that is worthy of all of us, and that will put aside all the gamesmanship, and noise and posturing and, instead, focus every day on delivering on the limitless promise of Pennsylvania. It was on the Pennsylvania battlefield of Gettysburg that Abraham Lincoln recognized the bravery of those who fought there so that “government of the people, by the people and for the people shall not perish from the earth.” It is time for the people of Pennsylvania to reclaim their government from the politicians and to restore to reality what Lincoln so justly honored: government of the people, by the people and for the people. [24] |
” |
—Laura Ellsworth for Governor[25] |
Paul Mango
“ |
Economic Growth for All Pennsylvanians Harrisburg’s lack of action on critical issues creates economic uncertainty precluding private sector investment in the Commonwealth. We have one of the worst credit ratings in the nation, ahead of only Connecticut, New Jersey and Illinois.[2] We are ranked #49th in the quality of our transportation infrastructure[3] despite having the highest gasoline tax in the nation. We have what is essentially the highest corporate state tax rate and the highest unemployment tax in the Country, and we do not permit business start-ups and cyclical businesses to fully recognize their losses and investments in job creation. Meanwhile, our citizens are leaving the Commonwealth for greater job opportunities elsewhere. We have a net outward migration of our population, largely composed of new college graduates. In 2016, Pennsylvania lost population for the first time since 1985.[4] This performance is even more frustrating given the Commonwealth’s many advantages. We are called the “Keystone State” for a reason. We are geographically proximate to some of the world’s richest commercial markets in the northeastern U.S., which includes well over 100 million people. Our waterways grant us access to the Atlantic Ocean, Great Lakes, and the Gulf of Mexico. We sit on the largest single deposit of shale gas in the nation. Our colleges and universities are global leaders in a variety of technologies. Our farmland is among the most fertile in the nation. We have the history and natural beauty to become a major tourist destination. The opportunity for tremendous growth and prosperity is within our grasp, yet we have failed to seize it. We can – and must – do better. My vision for the economic success of the Commonwealth comprises the following:
We can turn each of these five opportunities into thriving, vibrant job creators for all of Pennsylvania, and bring back hundreds of thousands of the middle-class, high-tech, and white-collar jobs lost in the last decades. How? Inspirational leadership, sound policy and modern administration of government—three things I will bring to Harrisburg. As Governor, my greatest focus will be on taking all of the blessings bestowed upon the Commonwealth and transforming them into prosperity for all Pennsylvanians. This will require six actions:
Taxes This would start by lowering what is essentially the highest corporate tax rate in the Country from 9.99% to the equivalent of the personal income tax rate of 3.07%. Second, we would permit entrepreneurs starting businesses, and those in cyclical businesses, to “carry forward” all of their operating losses from year to year. Third, we would restructure the policies and processes governing our unemployment tax rate, which is the highest in the US.[1] In doing so, I will ensure the tasks of job creation and wage increases are recognized as the foundation upon which Pennsylvanians can support their families and achieve economic success, not simply sources of tax receipts for Harrisburg to squander. Our employment growth during the Wolf administration has been less than half the national rate of job growth and that of most other states.[2] Reducing the corporate tax burden over two to three years would allow the Commonwealth to establish a strategic advantage relative to other states, while restoring the job growth necessary to address our fiscal pressures. With job growth similar to that which the rest of the Country is experiencing, these changes to the tax structure would pay for themselves. This is within our grasp. Support Home Ownership by Eliminating School Property Taxes and Empowering Counties to Eliminate County Property Taxes. Today, homeowners, and especially seniors, living in Pennsylvania face rising school property taxes and the very real fear of being evicted from their homes. This is unacceptable in America and it's unacceptable in Pennsylvania. That's why I support the complete elimination of school property taxes. As Governor, I will sign legislation that eliminates school property tax once and for all, making certain that our citizens can be secure in their own homes. Homeowners, and especially our seniors, should not be forced into selling just because they can no longer afford property taxes. It is time to once again respect the right of home ownership in Pennsylvania. Additionally, I support the County Commissioners Association of PA (CCAP) call for Tax Fairness for counties. This plan would allow counties to substitute a sales and/or income tax for county property taxes. This is an option because counties vary dramatically throughout the state. This would benefit homeowners and businesses alike. Spending Paul, a fiscal conservative, believes in reducing the budget deficit by growing jobs and wages, and by encouraging business start-ups and investment. Since his election, Governor Thomas “the Tax Engine” Wolf has discouraged growth and has favored tax increases instead to pay for out of control spending. He has proposed more than $8 billion in tax increases, including the largest single tax increase in the history of the Commonwealth. Because of poor leadership in Harrisburg and narrow political interests, the state pension system has become unsustainable. The average Pennsylvania family of four owes almost $20,000 to pay off the debt of the state pension fund. Paul will support legislation that actually addresses this deficit and moves toward a 401K-style system for state employees and teachers. I will also support legislation to change the county municipal government code to allow counties and local governments to move to a defined contribution pensions system. A new pension plan would apply to all new hires and honor the commitment to all current state employees and teachers as well a local government employees Energy & Technology Energy: We have some of the largest, cheapest deposits of natural gas and coal in the world. Technology: Our universities are engaged in advanced research that promises to transform the way we live, the way we work, and the way we deliver care. Access and proximity to markets: we are the ONLY state in the nation with direct access to the Atlantic Ocean, the Great Lakes, and the Gulf of Mexico. If we combine these three, we will create the high-tech jobs of the NEXT century, not the last one. We will once again become a global leader in manufacturing. We can become the Saudi Arabia of energy exports. Reforming Harrisburg Look at the annual budget mess there: it is an embarrassment and is failing Pennsylvanians. The dysfunction in Harrisburg is making it tough on every Pennsylvania family. Harrisburg and its politicians are relics of the early 20th century model embracing large scale standardization, control, spending, and bureaucracy. In our diverse and highly dynamic society, the one size of intrusive government it represents no longer fits all. Neither the Federal, nor the State Government, is as adept at solving our most pressing challenges as our individual communities are. This is particularly applicable to the three biggest programs consuming 75%-80% of the Commonwealth’s budget: education, anti-poverty, and healthcare. All three of these are failing. The fundamental conservative role of government in the 21st Century is no longer to deliver all these services, but to engage relevant community groups, then to stimulate innovation among them by inviting collaboration with private enterprise, it should then identify the innovations that work and, finally, transfer these innovations across the Commonwealth. This is how Harrisburg should do its job, rather than trying to do ours. Veterans Sadly, our government has failed our returning Veterans far too often. Paul will stand up for our military and Veteran community; he will focus on providing access to jobs through transition support with an emphasis on military credentialing and licensing. He will work closely with the leadership at the VA and support innovative programs that improve the level of healthcare for Veterans and their families, particularly those suffering from behavioral health illness that can lead to suicide. He will make sure that our military families are a priority and that their sacrifice and commitment is never forgotten. Our current system of bureaucracies serving veterans is another example of bloated government organizations and how they fail. Pennsylvania ranks near the bottom in programs and support services for our Veterans and their families. Paul will ensure that Veteran-focused services in Pennsylvania are a priority and that they will be recognized as the best our country has to offer. It's time to deliver for the men and women that have served our country so selflessly, and Paul Mango is the leader that will get the job done! Education But our state government takes our property taxes and, in the case of many of our urban areas, forces us to send our children to schools it knows are failing. We spend over $300,000 per high school graduate in many of our school districts, and half of the graduates in some of these districts are not proficient in algebra, or cannot read at a 9th grade level. Less than 30% of Governor Wolf’s increases in education funding have gone toward teaching our children. Paul Mango will ensure every one of our children has the choice and the means to obtain a good education. Pennsylvania families must be empowered to make choices for their children’s success. Healthcare Paul has spent much of his adult life in the healthcare industry helping healthcare providers better serve their patients. Obamacare has been a disaster for Pennsylvanians. It has increased the cost of care and increased deductibles for families, eroded the quality of care, and taken away our health care choices. It has also harmed the Pennsylvania economy by destroying businesses and jobs. But Washington, DC isn’t going to solve Pennsylvania’s healthcare problems and that’s why we need Paul, who understands healthcare, to guide us through the uncertainty ahead. Paul will focus on healthcare solutions that will treat advanced disease more effectively, focus on healthcare innovation, focus on prevention as well as treatment, and focus on encouraging all to participate in the healthcare market rather than mandating it. Paul believes in empowering Pennsylvanians to make their own healthcare choices. Protecting Life As a husband and a father of five daughters, Paul will protect women’s access to healthcare while ending government funding for Planned Parenthood. Second Amendment He understands the importance of protecting the rights of responsible gun owners in Pennsylvania, and feels that the government has gone far enough in infringing on these rights. He believes in the right to bear arms and defend oneself, in hunting and recreation. With Paul, Pennsylvania gun owners and sportsmen will have a Governor they can trust to protect their 2nd Amendment right to bear arms and hunt. Sanctuary Cities Harrisburg is failing Pennsylvanians on the most important role of public safety by allowing criminal illegal aliens to go unpunished in sanctuary cities. This isn’t only about enforcing the law, it’s about fairness. Any Pennsylvanian should be punished if they commit a crime whether they are legal or illegal, and certainly illegals shouldn’t be shown preferential treatment. As a former Commissioned Army officer, Paul Mango understands the rule of law and how to keep Pennsylvanians safe and secure. Opioid and Heroin Epidemic And for every death there are many more overdoses that hurt Pennsylvania families. The opioid problem knows no economic or geographic boundary—it has affected Pennsylvanians across our state. Paul will act swiftly and compassionately to end the epidemic by going after the suppliers of the drugs and improving treatment for addicts. He will also help law enforcement prosecute dealers, including reinstating mandatory minimum sentences for these dealers. [24] |
” |
—Mango for Governor[26] |
Scott Wagner
Campaign tactics and strategies
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Online presence
May 3, 2018
The following social media statistics were collected on May 3, 2018.
Candidate | Followers | Likes | Comments on last 10 posts | Followers | Following | Tweets |
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2,675 | 2,558 | 30 | 480 | 92 | 336 |
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111,175 | 110,750 | 164 | 2,173 | 1 | 338 |
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171,393 | 171,116 | 304 | 2,192 | 469 | 690 |
Tweets by Laura Ellsworth Tweets by Paul Mango Tweets by Scott Wagner
Campaign finance
Following are campaign finance reports obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State. The reports contain information on all raising and spending by the campaigns from the beginning of the campaign cycle until April 30, 2018.
Debates and forums
May 4 debate
On May 4, 2018, Laura Ellsworth (R), Paul Mango (R), and Scott Wagner (R) met for a debate in Lancaster.[27]
April 25 candidate forum
On April 25, 2018, Laura Ellsworth (R), Paul Mango (R), and Scott Wagner (R) met for a candidate forum in Lancaster County.[28]
March 5 debate
On March 5, 2018, the three declared Republican candidates met for a debate hosted by the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce. Laura Ellsworth (R), Paul Mango (R), and Scott Wagner discussed issues including:[29][30]
- Budgeting: The candidates discussed the state's tax rates and budgeting practices. Ellsworth argued in favor of a reduction to the state's property tax rates and a property tax freeze for senior citizens, but was opposed to eliminating property taxes entirely: "If we remove all property taxes, we will not adequately fund education, and we will remove local control of education and it needs to stay local." Mango stated his support for a bill that would eliminate the education-related portion of the property tax and would raise the state's sales and income tax rates, and called for the elimination of property taxes. Wagner stated his support for the bill referred to by Mango and called for property taxes to be eliminated. Wagner also called on the state to adopt zero-based budgeting practices, in which state agencies are required to justify all expenses rather than only new ones. Wagner claimed that the adoption of zero-based budgeting could reduce the state's expenses by as much as $4 billion annually.
- Education: The candidates discussed funding for public schools. Ellsworth argued that a state policy providing funding to alternatives to public schools had lessened the quality of the state's public education: "Right now, we have a system where we are asking school districts to basically slit their wrists and bleed themselves to pay for these alternatives for other children." Mango called on the state to increase access to alternatives to public education and stated his opposition to increased funding for public education: "I know that we're not going to throw any more good money after bad money." Wagner argued that the state's public schools had not adequately managed their funds and stated his opposition to increased funding for public education: "In the last four years, we've put almost $1 billion more into the school system...Not a nickel has hit the classrooms. It has gone to cover the pension, health care and salary increases that we have seen over the last four years."
March 1 debate
On March 1, 2018, the three declared Republican candidates met for a debate at Harrisburg Area Community College. Laura Ellsworth (R), Paul Mango (R), and Scott Wagner (R) discussed issues including:[31]
- Bathroom access laws: Mango and Wagner discussed a bill that Wagner had voted in favor of as a member of the state Senate. The bill, which was not passed, would have allowed the state Human Relations Commission to investigate allegations of discrimination in housing and employment based on sexual orientation and gender identity or expression. Mango argued that a provision in the bill would have increased access to girls' locker rooms in the state's public schools: "He is not keeping our kids safe and secure...As I said, he is a dangerous, ineffective liberal insider just as Tom Wolf is." Wagner disputed Mango's claims about the bill: "this is the best time to call him 'lying Paul".
- School safety: The candidates discussed school safety measures, with Ellsworth advocating for the installation of metal detectors and swipe-card security systems. Mango called for increased funding for school security and for screening for mental illness, as well as measures limiting access to firearms for those diagnosed with a mental illness. Wagner called for an armed officer to be stationed in every public school and for measures to ensure that background checks for prospective firearms buyers are thorough.
January 20 candidate forum
On January 20, 2018, the four declared Republican candidates met for a candidate forum in Pittsburgh. Laura Ellsworth, Paul Mango, Mike Turzai, and Scott Wagner discussed campaign finance, education funding, redistricting, and support for President Trump (R).
On campaign finance, Wagner and Ellsworth called for increased limits on political expenditures, with Wagner arguing that there should be increased limits on expenditures by lobbyists and Ellsworth calling for limits on contributions to political candidates as a whole. Turzai and Mango argued that political expenditures were a form of free speech and should not be further regulated. The candidates also disagreed on education funding. Ellsworth called for an increase in property tax credits to help offset the portion of property taxes which are used to fund schools. Mango countered by arguing in favor of modifying education funding so that schools are no longer funded by property taxes and called for the implementation of education savings accounts. Like Ellsworth, Turzai was opposed to the elimination of property taxes, calling for more charter schools and apportioning funding based on schools' performance. Wagner called for schools to no longer be funded by property taxes on an individual's primary residence and called for the expansion of vocational training programs.
Ellsworth called for the creation of a bipartisan redistricting commission, which Mango, Turzai, and Wagner stated their opposition to. All four candidates stated their opposition to the legalization of marijuana.[32]
October 19 candidate forum
On October 19, 2017, the three declared Republican candidates for governor met in Montgomery County for a candidate forum. Scott Wagner, Paul Mango, and Laura Ellsworth primarily discussed fiscal policy, with each offering differing proposals for managing the state's finances. Wagner called for fewer regulations on businesses and reduction of costs within the state government, while Mango argued that a comprehensive plan to boost the state's economic performance was required. Ellsworth argued in favor of requiring that a comprehensive budget plan be presented to the governor.[33]
Race ratings
- See also: Race rating definitions and methods
Race ratings: Pennsylvania gubernatorial election, 2018 | |||||||||
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Race tracker | Race ratings | ||||||||
November 5, 2018 | October 30, 2018 | October 23, 2018 | October 16, 2018 | ||||||
The Cook Political Report | Likely Democratic | Likely Democratic | Likely Democratic | Likely Democratic | |||||
Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales | Likely Democratic | Likely Democratic | Likely Democratic | Likely Democratic | |||||
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball | Safe Democratic | Safe Democratic | Safe Democratic | Safe Democratic | |||||
Note: Ballotpedia updates external race ratings every two weeks throughout the election season. |
State overview
Partisan control
This section details the partisan control of federal and state positions in Pennsylvania heading into the 2018 elections.
Congressional delegation
- Following the 2016 elections, Democrats and Republicans each held one U.S. Senate seat in Pennsylvania.
- Republicans held 12 of 17 U.S. House seats in Pennsylvania.
State executives
- As of May 2018, Democrats held five of 11 state executive positions, while six were held by nonpartisan officials.
- The governor of Pennsylvania was Democrat Tom Wolf.
State legislature
- Republicans controlled both chambers of the Pennsylvania General Assembly. They had a 120-79 majority in the state House and a 33-16 majority in the state Senate.
Trifecta status
- Pennsylvania was under divided government, meaning that the two parties shared control of the state government. Tom Wolf (D) served as governor, while Republicans controlled the state legislature.
2018 elections
- See also: Pennsylvania elections, 2018
Pennsylvania held elections for the following positions in 2018:
- One U.S. Senate seat
- 18 U.S. House seats
- Governor and lieutenant governor
- 25 of 50 state Senate seats
- 203 state House seats
Demographics
Demographic data for Pennsylvania | ||
---|---|---|
Pennsylvania | U.S. | |
Total population: | 12,791,904 | 316,515,021 |
Land area (sq mi): | 44,743 | 3,531,905 |
Race and ethnicity** | ||
White: | 81.6% | 73.6% |
Black/African American: | 11% | 12.6% |
Asian: | 3.1% | 5.1% |
Native American: | 0.2% | 0.8% |
Pacific Islander: | 0% | 0.2% |
Two or more: | 2.1% | 3% |
Hispanic/Latino: | 6.4% | 17.1% |
Education | ||
High school graduation rate: | 89.2% | 86.7% |
College graduation rate: | 28.6% | 29.8% |
Income | ||
Median household income: | $53,599 | $53,889 |
Persons below poverty level: | 15.9% | 11.3% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Pennsylvania. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. |
As of July 2017, Pennsylvania had a population of approximately 12,800,000 people, with its three largest cities being Philadelphia (pop. est. 1.6 million), Pittsburgh (pop. est. 300,000), and Allentown (pop. est. 120,000).[34][35]
State election history
This section provides an overview of federal and state elections in Pennsylvania from 2000 to 2016. All data comes from the Pennsylvania Department of State.
Historical elections
Presidential elections, 2000-2016
This chart shows the results of the presidential election in Pennsylvania every year from 2000 to 2016.
Election results (President of the United States), Pennsylvania 2000-2016 | |||||
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Year | First-place candidate | First-place candidate votes (%) | Second-place candidate | Second-place candidate votes (%) | Margin of victory (%) |
2016 | ![]() |
48.6% | ![]() |
47.9% | 0.7% |
2012 | ![]() |
52.1% | ![]() |
46.7% | 5.4% |
2008 | ![]() |
54.7% | ![]() |
44.3% | 10.4% |
2004 | ![]() |
51.0% | ![]() |
48.5% | 2.5% |
2000 | ![]() |
50.6% | ![]() |
46.4% | 4.2% |
U.S. Senate elections, 2000-2016
This chart shows the results of U.S. Senate races in Pennsylvania from 2000 to 2016. Every state has two Senate seats, and each seat goes up for election every six years. The terms of the seats are staggered so that roughly one-third of the seats are up every two years.
Election results (U.S. Senator), Pennsylvania 2000-2016 | |||||
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Year | First-place candidate | First-place candidate votes (%) | Second-place candidate | Second-place candidate votes (%) | Margin of victory (%) |
2016 | ![]() |
48.8% | ![]() |
47.3% | 1.5% |
2012 | ![]() |
53.7% | ![]() |
44.6% | 9.1% |
2010 | ![]() |
51.0% | ![]() |
49.0% | 2.0% |
2006 | ![]() |
58.7% | ![]() |
41.3% | 17.4% |
2004 | ![]() |
52.6% | ![]() |
42.0% | 10.6% |
2000 | ![]() |
52.4% | ![]() |
45.5% | 6.9% |
Gubernatorial elections, 2000-2016
This chart shows the results of the four gubernatorial elections held between 2000 and 2016. Gubernatorial elections are held every four years in Pennsylvania.
Election results (Governor), Pennsylvania 2000-2016 | |||||
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Year | First-place candidate | First-place candidate votes (%) | Second-place candidate | Second-place candidate votes (%) | Margin of victory (%) |
2014 | ![]() |
54.9% | ![]() |
45.1% | 9.8% |
2010 | ![]() |
54.5% | ![]() |
45.5% | 9.0% |
2006 | ![]() |
60.4% | ![]() |
39.6% | 20.8% |
2002 | ![]() |
53.4% | ![]() |
44.3% | 9.1% |
Congressional delegation, 2000-2016
This chart shows the number of Democrats and Republicans who were elected to represent Pennsylvania in the U.S. House from 2000 to 2016. Elections for U.S. House seats are held every two years.
Trifectas, 1992-2017
A state government trifecta occurs when one party controls both chambers of the state legislature and the governor's office.
Pennsylvania Party Control: 1992-2024
One year of a Democratic trifecta • Twelve years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
Year | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 |
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Governor | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
Senate | R | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
House | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D |
Pivot Counties
- See also: Pivot Counties by state
Three of 67 Pennsylvania counties—4.5 percent—are pivot counties. These are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 pivot counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.
Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008 | |||||||
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County | Trump margin of victory in 2016 | Obama margin of victory in 2012 | Obama margin of victory in 2008 | ||||
Erie County, Pennsylvania | 1.56% | 16.03% | 19.88% | ||||
Luzerne County, Pennsylvania | 19.31% | 4.81% | 8.41% | ||||
Northampton County, Pennsylvania | 3.78% | 4.71% | 12.30% |
In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump (R) won Pennsylvania with 48.2 percent of the vote. Hillary Clinton (D) received 47.5 percent. In presidential elections between 1900 and 2016, Pennsylvania cast votes for the winning presidential candidate 76.7 percent of the time. In that same time frame, Pennsylvania supported Republican candidates for president more often than Democratic candidates, 53.3 to 43.3 percent. The state, however, favored Democrats in every presidential election between 2000 and 2012, but voted Republican in 2016.
Presidential results by legislative district
The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in Pennsylvania. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[36][37]
In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 89 out of 203 state House districts in Pennsylvania with an average margin of victory of 37.4 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 84 out of 203 state House districts in Pennsylvania with an average margin of victory of 37.3 points. Clinton won 19 districts controlled by Republicans heading into the 2018 elections. |
In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 114 out of 203 state House districts in Pennsylvania with an average margin of victory of 20 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 119 out of 203 state House districts in Pennsylvania with an average margin of victory of 28.2 points. Trump won 17 districts controlled by Democrats heading into the 2018 elections. |
2016 Presidential Results by state House District ' | |||||||
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District | Obama | Romney | 2012 Margin | Clinton | Trump | 2016 Margin | Party Control |
1 | 74.23% | 24.51% | D+49.7 | 62.96% | 33.11% | D+29.8 | D |
2 | 64.16% | 34.60% | D+29.6 | 54.43% | 40.91% | D+13.5 | D |
3 | 52.42% | 46.30% | D+6.1 | 45.74% | 49.76% | R+4 | D |
4 | 47.98% | 50.56% | R+2.6 | 34.90% | 60.52% | R+25.6 | R |
5 | 39.20% | 59.23% | R+20 | 30.95% | 64.64% | R+33.7 | R |
6 | 41.46% | 56.84% | R+15.4 | 33.98% | 61.68% | R+27.7 | R |
7 | 58.14% | 40.56% | D+17.6 | 44.84% | 51.68% | R+6.8 | D |
8 | 31.90% | 66.60% | R+34.7 | 24.28% | 71.25% | R+47 | R |
9 | 47.63% | 51.12% | R+3.5 | 36.69% | 60.36% | R+23.7 | D |
10 | 45.01% | 53.45% | R+8.4 | 35.93% | 59.86% | R+23.9 | R |
11 | 34.69% | 63.96% | R+29.3 | 28.50% | 66.88% | R+38.4 | R |
12 | 29.48% | 69.55% | R+40.1 | 31.88% | 64.41% | R+32.5 | R |
13 | 43.63% | 55.27% | R+11.6 | 42.73% | 53.04% | R+10.3 | R |
14 | 38.01% | 60.67% | R+22.7 | 32.28% | 64.15% | R+31.9 | R |
15 | 37.23% | 61.54% | R+24.3 | 31.00% | 65.48% | R+34.5 | R |
16 | 53.92% | 44.73% | D+9.2 | 46.00% | 50.52% | R+4.5 | D |
17 | 42.32% | 56.30% | R+14 | 29.47% | 66.56% | R+37.1 | R |
18 | 57.88% | 40.91% | D+17 | 52.85% | 44.12% | D+8.7 | R |
19 | 86.11% | 12.84% | D+73.3 | 83.38% | 13.65% | D+69.7 | D |
20 | 61.01% | 37.46% | D+23.6 | 60.52% | 34.84% | D+25.7 | D |
21 | 57.83% | 40.46% | D+17.4 | 59.05% | 36.62% | D+22.4 | D |
22 | 76.43% | 22.64% | D+53.8 | 72.60% | 24.54% | D+48.1 | D |
23 | 73.62% | 24.04% | D+49.6 | 80.06% | 16.36% | D+63.7 | D |
24 | 90.72% | 8.31% | D+82.4 | 90.51% | 7.00% | D+83.5 | D |
25 | 51.85% | 47.12% | D+4.7 | 50.07% | 46.87% | D+3.2 | D |
26 | 45.47% | 53.34% | R+7.9 | 43.50% | 52.49% | R+9 | R |
27 | 63.70% | 34.87% | D+28.8 | 60.79% | 35.34% | D+25.5 | D |
28 | 36.63% | 62.52% | R+25.9 | 43.46% | 52.61% | R+9.2 | R |
29 | 45.87% | 53.06% | R+7.2 | 46.10% | 50.52% | R+4.4 | R |
30 | 40.91% | 58.24% | R+17.3 | 44.48% | 51.61% | R+7.1 | R |
31 | 50.76% | 48.04% | D+2.7 | 55.20% | 41.17% | D+14 | D |
32 | 60.05% | 38.99% | D+21.1 | 59.16% | 37.83% | D+21.3 | D |
33 | 49.03% | 49.75% | R+0.7 | 45.55% | 50.80% | R+5.3 | D |
34 | 68.62% | 30.16% | D+38.5 | 68.78% | 28.17% | D+40.6 | D |
35 | 63.94% | 35.20% | D+28.7 | 57.89% | 39.41% | D+18.5 | D |
36 | 60.88% | 37.46% | D+23.4 | 56.42% | 39.30% | D+17.1 | D |
37 | 28.95% | 69.66% | R+40.7 | 26.19% | 69.00% | R+42.8 | R |
38 | 50.42% | 48.41% | D+2 | 46.28% | 50.58% | R+4.3 | D |
39 | 40.59% | 58.52% | R+17.9 | 36.49% | 60.37% | R+23.9 | R |
40 | 36.83% | 62.34% | R+25.5 | 41.12% | 55.57% | R+14.4 | R |
41 | 42.46% | 56.09% | R+13.6 | 41.74% | 53.32% | R+11.6 | R |
42 | 55.31% | 43.47% | D+11.8 | 60.20% | 35.63% | D+24.6 | D |
43 | 36.53% | 62.17% | R+25.6 | 36.27% | 58.57% | R+22.3 | R |
44 | 41.51% | 57.51% | R+16 | 43.16% | 53.29% | R+10.1 | R |
45 | 51.33% | 47.58% | D+3.7 | 49.81% | 46.66% | D+3.2 | D |
46 | 44.33% | 54.63% | R+10.3 | 39.68% | 56.72% | R+17 | R |
47 | 40.06% | 58.68% | R+18.6 | 34.74% | 60.75% | R+26 | R |
48 | 45.49% | 53.23% | R+7.7 | 40.70% | 55.39% | R+14.7 | D |
49 | 49.95% | 48.61% | D+1.3 | 37.74% | 58.75% | R+21 | R |
50 | 46.33% | 52.50% | R+6.2 | 33.66% | 63.80% | R+30.1 | D |
51 | 41.10% | 57.87% | R+16.8 | 30.84% | 66.70% | R+35.9 | R |
52 | 40.85% | 57.93% | R+17.1 | 30.15% | 67.36% | R+37.2 | R |
53 | 48.81% | 49.75% | R+0.9 | 48.69% | 46.74% | D+2 | R |
54 | 36.11% | 62.89% | R+26.8 | 34.91% | 61.80% | R+26.9 | R |
55 | 39.89% | 58.83% | R+18.9 | 31.43% | 65.24% | R+33.8 | D |
56 | 34.08% | 64.90% | R+30.8 | 31.32% | 65.45% | R+34.1 | R |
57 | 36.37% | 62.35% | R+26 | 33.60% | 62.73% | R+29.1 | R |
58 | 43.41% | 55.41% | R+12 | 34.02% | 63.22% | R+29.2 | R |
59 | 31.93% | 66.81% | R+34.9 | 26.42% | 70.50% | R+44.1 | R |
60 | 30.82% | 67.77% | R+37 | 24.08% | 72.85% | R+48.8 | R |
61 | 51.45% | 47.61% | D+3.8 | 56.68% | 39.73% | D+16.9 | R |
62 | 43.10% | 55.21% | R+12.1 | 34.47% | 61.69% | R+27.2 | R |
63 | 29.59% | 68.69% | R+39.1 | 22.17% | 74.25% | R+52.1 | R |
64 | 34.96% | 63.20% | R+28.2 | 26.01% | 69.72% | R+43.7 | R |
65 | 39.55% | 58.80% | R+19.3 | 27.22% | 68.57% | R+41.4 | R |
66 | 27.05% | 71.53% | R+44.5 | 18.49% | 78.42% | R+59.9 | R |
67 | 32.35% | 65.98% | R+33.6 | 22.32% | 74.12% | R+51.8 | R |
68 | 31.27% | 66.99% | R+35.7 | 20.98% | 74.62% | R+53.6 | R |
69 | 25.99% | 72.68% | R+46.7 | 18.90% | 78.57% | R+59.7 | R |
70 | 63.08% | 35.97% | D+27.1 | 63.15% | 33.72% | D+29.4 | D |
71 | 42.84% | 55.39% | R+12.5 | 34.58% | 62.24% | R+27.7 | D |
72 | 37.01% | 61.10% | R+24.1 | 26.49% | 70.36% | R+43.9 | D |
73 | 38.10% | 60.27% | R+22.2 | 24.79% | 72.19% | R+47.4 | R |
74 | 62.76% | 36.10% | D+26.7 | 60.37% | 35.55% | D+24.8 | R |
75 | 36.38% | 62.06% | R+25.7 | 24.79% | 71.59% | R+46.8 | R |
76 | 39.88% | 58.53% | R+18.6 | 29.08% | 67.03% | R+37.9 | D |
77 | 59.83% | 37.36% | D+22.5 | 60.78% | 33.56% | D+27.2 | D |
78 | 22.54% | 76.40% | R+53.9 | 16.03% | 81.71% | R+65.7 | R |
79 | 39.22% | 59.27% | R+20 | 30.70% | 65.55% | R+34.9 | R |
80 | 26.47% | 72.45% | R+46 | 20.96% | 76.10% | R+55.1 | R |
81 | 35.33% | 63.30% | R+28 | 30.25% | 66.04% | R+35.8 | R |
82 | 26.74% | 72.05% | R+45.3 | 19.62% | 77.01% | R+57.4 | R |
83 | 38.82% | 59.70% | R+20.9 | 32.82% | 62.88% | R+30.1 | R |
84 | 26.66% | 72.04% | R+45.4 | 18.99% | 77.66% | R+58.7 | R |
85 | 35.45% | 62.97% | R+27.5 | 31.55% | 64.64% | R+33.1 | R |
86 | 33.17% | 65.18% | R+32 | 25.57% | 69.93% | R+44.4 | R |
87 | 41.20% | 57.38% | R+16.2 | 41.82% | 53.91% | R+12.1 | R |
88 | 41.23% | 57.13% | R+15.9 | 41.39% | 53.53% | R+12.1 | R |
89 | 34.19% | 64.52% | R+30.3 | 29.92% | 66.31% | R+36.4 | R |
90 | 28.09% | 70.61% | R+42.5 | 22.85% | 73.48% | R+50.6 | R |
91 | 37.65% | 60.93% | R+23.3 | 32.20% | 63.86% | R+31.7 | R |
92 | 31.91% | 66.77% | R+34.9 | 28.03% | 67.52% | R+39.5 | R |
93 | 34.53% | 63.91% | R+29.4 | 31.05% | 64.67% | R+33.6 | R |
94 | 35.78% | 62.70% | R+26.9 | 28.86% | 66.88% | R+38 | R |
95 | 65.14% | 33.21% | D+31.9 | 61.43% | 33.92% | D+27.5 | D |
96 | 74.86% | 23.26% | D+51.6 | 73.28% | 21.55% | D+51.7 | D |
97 | 40.15% | 58.50% | R+18.4 | 42.36% | 52.82% | R+10.5 | R |
98 | 37.73% | 60.63% | R+22.9 | 32.52% | 61.78% | R+29.3 | R |
99 | 28.97% | 69.60% | R+40.6 | 25.97% | 68.75% | R+42.8 | R |
100 | 34.03% | 64.51% | R+30.5 | 28.29% | 67.35% | R+39.1 | R |
101 | 39.74% | 58.92% | R+19.2 | 37.40% | 58.74% | R+21.3 | R |
102 | 31.56% | 66.91% | R+35.3 | 24.88% | 71.23% | R+46.3 | R |
103 | 81.25% | 17.74% | D+63.5 | 78.28% | 18.44% | D+59.8 | D |
104 | 46.98% | 51.71% | R+4.7 | 42.83% | 53.30% | R+10.5 | R |
105 | 45.32% | 53.34% | R+8 | 44.00% | 51.91% | R+7.9 | R |
106 | 43.98% | 54.60% | R+10.6 | 43.80% | 51.46% | R+7.7 | R |
107 | 42.37% | 55.71% | R+13.3 | 28.98% | 66.96% | R+38 | R |
108 | 34.84% | 63.47% | R+28.6 | 26.52% | 69.44% | R+42.9 | R |
109 | 42.93% | 55.31% | R+12.4 | 32.18% | 63.26% | R+31.1 | R |
110 | 38.40% | 59.80% | R+21.4 | 25.85% | 69.59% | R+43.7 | R |
111 | 39.36% | 59.14% | R+19.8 | 28.62% | 67.57% | R+39 | R |
112 | 69.10% | 29.74% | D+39.4 | 55.53% | 41.46% | D+14.1 | D |
113 | 67.49% | 31.46% | D+36 | 56.83% | 40.31% | D+16.5 | D |
114 | 58.64% | 40.26% | D+18.4 | 44.66% | 52.39% | R+7.7 | D |
115 | 64.27% | 34.56% | D+29.7 | 58.15% | 38.28% | D+19.9 | D |
116 | 40.79% | 57.87% | R+17.1 | 31.33% | 66.07% | R+34.7 | R |
117 | 41.83% | 56.50% | R+14.7 | 30.66% | 66.00% | R+35.3 | R |
118 | 55.83% | 43.08% | D+12.8 | 40.74% | 56.46% | R+15.7 | D |
119 | 51.23% | 47.10% | D+4.1 | 35.40% | 61.77% | R+26.4 | D |
120 | 53.79% | 44.76% | D+9 | 42.55% | 54.62% | R+12.1 | R |
121 | 61.17% | 37.18% | D+24 | 47.71% | 48.91% | R+1.2 | D |
122 | 44.86% | 53.22% | R+8.4 | 30.76% | 65.46% | R+34.7 | R |
123 | 51.65% | 46.75% | D+4.9 | 31.73% | 65.03% | R+33.3 | D |
124 | 37.56% | 60.67% | R+23.1 | 25.51% | 70.74% | R+45.2 | R |
125 | 36.51% | 62.03% | R+25.5 | 23.43% | 72.95% | R+49.5 | R |
126 | 63.45% | 34.97% | D+28.5 | 57.62% | 38.36% | D+19.3 | D |
127 | 80.68% | 18.33% | D+62.4 | 77.08% | 19.95% | D+57.1 | D |
128 | 41.43% | 57.06% | R+15.6 | 38.02% | 57.47% | R+19.5 | R |
129 | 41.67% | 56.89% | R+15.2 | 37.61% | 57.86% | R+20.3 | R |
130 | 42.78% | 55.70% | R+12.9 | 35.25% | 60.10% | R+24.9 | R |
131 | 44.49% | 54.03% | R+9.5 | 41.91% | 53.76% | R+11.9 | R |
132 | 65.53% | 33.25% | D+32.3 | 64.10% | 32.82% | D+31.3 | D |
133 | 59.02% | 39.41% | D+19.6 | 52.89% | 42.75% | D+10.1 | D |
134 | 43.39% | 55.42% | R+12 | 41.92% | 54.04% | R+12.1 | R |
135 | 64.54% | 34.06% | D+30.5 | 61.91% | 34.09% | D+27.8 | D |
136 | 59.36% | 39.16% | D+20.2 | 53.35% | 42.48% | D+10.9 | D |
137 | 46.66% | 52.14% | R+5.5 | 40.33% | 56.02% | R+15.7 | R |
138 | 43.63% | 55.31% | R+11.7 | 39.52% | 56.92% | R+17.4 | R |
139 | 39.33% | 59.34% | R+20 | 30.73% | 66.15% | R+35.4 | R |
140 | 63.59% | 35.05% | D+28.5 | 54.38% | 41.60% | D+12.8 | D |
141 | 62.97% | 35.53% | D+27.4 | 52.82% | 43.31% | D+9.5 | D |
142 | 49.07% | 49.78% | R+0.7 | 46.32% | 50.25% | R+3.9 | R |
143 | 45.51% | 53.19% | R+7.7 | 47.61% | 48.14% | R+0.5 | R |
144 | 44.70% | 54.17% | R+9.5 | 45.34% | 50.70% | R+5.4 | R |
145 | 44.16% | 54.36% | R+10.2 | 39.59% | 55.70% | R+16.1 | R |
146 | 50.85% | 47.96% | D+2.9 | 48.37% | 47.29% | D+1.1 | R |
147 | 43.65% | 54.97% | R+11.3 | 41.16% | 54.54% | R+13.4 | R |
148 | 60.73% | 38.33% | D+22.4 | 67.12% | 29.75% | D+37.4 | D |
149 | 60.45% | 38.56% | D+21.9 | 66.82% | 29.98% | D+36.8 | D |
150 | 49.69% | 49.13% | D+0.6 | 51.73% | 44.27% | D+7.5 | R |
151 | 50.81% | 48.28% | D+2.5 | 55.25% | 41.23% | D+14 | R |
152 | 52.27% | 46.64% | D+5.6 | 54.58% | 41.63% | D+12.9 | R |
153 | 63.65% | 35.32% | D+28.3 | 66.36% | 30.20% | D+36.2 | D |
154 | 74.52% | 24.59% | D+49.9 | 77.91% | 19.15% | D+58.8 | D |
155 | 47.56% | 51.25% | R+3.7 | 51.80% | 43.97% | D+7.8 | R |
156 | 49.44% | 49.46% | R+0 | 54.28% | 41.62% | D+12.7 | D |
157 | 52.13% | 46.72% | D+5.4 | 58.80% | 37.01% | D+21.8 | R |
158 | 48.38% | 50.45% | R+2.1 | 52.99% | 42.96% | D+10 | R |
159 | 83.68% | 15.63% | D+68 | 77.53% | 20.25% | D+57.3 | D |
160 | 46.71% | 52.30% | R+5.6 | 49.20% | 47.16% | D+2 | R |
161 | 55.77% | 43.14% | D+12.6 | 53.41% | 43.19% | D+10.2 | D |
162 | 57.37% | 41.38% | D+16 | 49.64% | 46.80% | D+2.8 | R |
163 | 55.33% | 43.45% | D+11.9 | 54.70% | 41.57% | D+13.1 | R |
164 | 82.20% | 16.96% | D+65.2 | 81.93% | 15.75% | D+66.2 | D |
165 | 48.98% | 50.02% | R+1 | 51.81% | 44.91% | D+6.9 | R |
166 | 61.53% | 37.33% | D+24.2 | 67.49% | 28.93% | D+38.6 | D |
167 | 48.42% | 50.53% | R+2.1 | 55.67% | 40.48% | D+15.2 | R |
168 | 47.78% | 51.08% | R+3.3 | 51.51% | 44.79% | D+6.7 | R |
169 | 34.04% | 64.45% | R+30.4 | 27.83% | 67.92% | R+40.1 | R |
170 | 56.95% | 42.17% | D+14.8 | 49.20% | 48.35% | D+0.9 | R |
171 | 40.68% | 57.64% | R+17 | 39.86% | 55.53% | R+15.7 | R |
172 | 59.28% | 39.77% | D+19.5 | 55.26% | 41.93% | D+13.3 | D |
173 | 64.49% | 34.35% | D+30.1 | 56.90% | 40.57% | D+16.3 | D |
174 | 61.67% | 37.38% | D+24.3 | 57.06% | 40.39% | D+16.7 | D |
175 | 79.87% | 18.59% | D+61.3 | 81.59% | 15.10% | D+66.5 | D |
176 | 50.90% | 47.71% | D+3.2 | 41.51% | 54.94% | R+13.4 | R |
177 | 65.38% | 33.22% | D+32.2 | 56.98% | 39.92% | D+17.1 | R |
178 | 42.85% | 56.21% | R+13.4 | 46.82% | 50.00% | R+3.2 | R |
179 | 92.03% | 7.63% | D+84.4 | 89.49% | 8.95% | D+80.5 | D |
180 | 91.88% | 7.78% | D+84.1 | 90.18% | 8.68% | D+81.5 | D |
181 | 94.57% | 4.54% | D+90 | 92.34% | 5.28% | D+87.1 | D |
182 | 80.77% | 17.83% | D+62.9 | 85.13% | 12.25% | D+72.9 | D |
183 | 46.31% | 52.33% | R+6 | 37.34% | 58.86% | R+21.5 | R |
184 | 74.15% | 24.62% | D+49.5 | 68.00% | 29.12% | D+38.9 | D |
185 | 81.50% | 18.03% | D+63.5 | 77.31% | 21.01% | D+56.3 | D |
186 | 92.45% | 6.89% | D+85.6 | 90.67% | 7.27% | D+83.4 | D |
187 | 41.65% | 56.98% | R+15.3 | 39.49% | 56.43% | R+16.9 | R |
188 | 92.78% | 5.93% | D+86.9 | 93.67% | 3.86% | D+89.8 | D |
189 | 52.75% | 45.91% | D+6.8 | 45.71% | 51.06% | R+5.4 | R |
190 | 97.49% | 2.19% | D+95.3 | 95.73% | 2.77% | D+93 | D |
191 | 97.46% | 2.39% | D+95.1 | 95.90% | 3.11% | D+92.8 | D |
192 | 96.72% | 3.08% | D+93.6 | 95.06% | 3.68% | D+91.4 | D |
193 | 32.78% | 65.92% | R+33.1 | 27.49% | 68.67% | R+41.2 | R |
194 | 70.09% | 28.46% | D+41.6 | 72.03% | 24.29% | D+47.7 | D |
195 | 92.86% | 6.25% | D+86.6 | 92.54% | 5.33% | D+87.2 | D |
196 | 35.76% | 62.90% | R+27.1 | 28.34% | 67.63% | R+39.3 | R |
197 | 97.04% | 2.75% | D+94.3 | 95.62% | 3.52% | D+92.1 | D |
198 | 97.73% | 1.99% | D+95.7 | 96.12% | 2.54% | D+93.6 | D |
199 | 39.71% | 58.82% | R+19.1 | 37.16% | 58.63% | R+21.5 | R |
200 | 94.69% | 4.79% | D+89.9 | 94.29% | 3.97% | D+90.3 | D |
201 | 98.24% | 1.52% | D+96.7 | 96.47% | 2.17% | D+94.3 | D |
202 | 80.92% | 18.39% | D+62.5 | 78.97% | 19.01% | D+60 | D |
203 | 96.00% | 3.80% | D+92.2 | 94.44% | 4.23% | D+90.2 | D |
Total | 52.08% | 46.68% | D+5.4 | 47.85% | 48.58% | R+0.7 | - |
Source: Daily Kos |
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Footnotes
- ↑ Pennsylvania Department of State, "Unofficial Returns," accessed May 25, 2018
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Penn Live, "Gubernatorial candidate Scott Wagner: Winning GOP endorsement 'is a big first step'," February 10, 2018
- ↑ Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, "GOP Pittsburgh Lawyer Laura Ellsworth announces run for governor," October 10, 2017
- ↑ Laura Ellsworth for Governor, "Home," accessed March 22, 2018
- ↑ Laura Ellsworth for Governor, "Delivering on the Promise of Pennsylvania," accessed March 22, 2018
- ↑ PA Home Page, "Paul Mango enters republican race for PA governor," May 18, 2017
- ↑ Mango for Pennsylvania, "Home," accessed March 22, 2018
- ↑ Penn Live, "Scott Wagner says he's running for election because 'Wolf is a failed governor'," January 12, 2017
- ↑ Wagner for Governor, "Home," accessed March 22, 2018
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 10.6 10.7 10.8 Scott Wagner for Governor, "WAGNER ANNOUNCES YORK COUNTY ENDORSEMENTS," October 3, 2017
- ↑ Mango for Governor, "Tom Cotton," accessed January 4, 2018
- ↑ Laura Ellsworth for Governor, "Carly Fiorina Endorses Laura Ellsworth for Governor," April 24, 2018
- ↑ The Morning Call, "Steve Bannon picks a side in Pennsylvania governor's race," September 26, 2017
- ↑ City & State Pennsylvania, "Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan to endorse Wagner in gubernatorial race," July 19, 2017
- ↑ 15.00 15.01 15.02 15.03 15.04 15.05 15.06 15.07 15.08 15.09 15.10 15.11 15.12 15.13 15.14 15.15 15.16 15.17 PoliticsPA, "Mango Endorsed by 20 County Commissioners," March 23, 2018
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 PoliticsPA, "Exclusive: Mango Announces Endorsement From Four County Commissioners," July 25, 2017
- ↑ Mango for Governor, "Glen Meakem," accessed January 4, 2017
- ↑ The Unionville Times, "Endorsement: Ellsworth for GOP Gov. nomination," May 7, 2018
- ↑ Laura Ellsworth for Governor, "The Coatesville Times Endorsement: Ellsworth for GOP Gov. Nomination," May 7, 2018
- ↑ Laura Ellsworth for Governor, "The Philadelphia Inquirer: 'Laura Ellsworth: Best Choice for Governor in GOP Primary' Endorsement," May 4, 2018
- ↑ Laura Ellsworth for Governor, "Patriot-News/PennLive Endorsement: 'For Republican Primary Voters, Laura Ellsworth Is the Best Choice," May 4, 2018
- ↑ Mango for Pennsylvania, "Family Research Council Action PAC endorses Mango for Governor," accessed May 3, 2018
- ↑ Scott Wagner for Governor, "LUZERNE GOP ENDORSES WAGNER-BARTOS TICKET," November 28, 2017
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Laura Ellsworth for Governor, "Delivering on the Promise of Pennsylvnia," December 18, 2017
- ↑ Mango for Pennsylvania, "Critical Issues," accessed February 26, 2018
- ↑ York Daily Record, "Pa. governor's race: Republican primary hopefuls speak up in final televised debate," May 4, 2018
- ↑ Lancaster Online, "Scott Wagner, Laura Ellsworth and Paul Mango debated Wednesday evening in Lancaster County," April 25, 2018
- ↑ U.S. News, "Republicans' Debate Exposes Big Differences in School Policy," March 6, 2018
- ↑ The Inquirer, "Pa. GOP governor candidates debate taxes, jobs and bathrooms in Philly," March 6, 2018
- ↑ York Daily Record, "Republican debate for Pa. governor's race confrontational between Wagner, Mango," March 1, 2018
- ↑ Trib Live, "Trump figures into Pennsylvania GOP gubernatorial debate," January 21, 2018
- ↑ WESA, "Pennsylvania GOP Governor Hopefuls Face Off For First Time," October 20, 2017
- ↑ United States Census Bureau, "Quick Facts - Pennsylvania," accessed January 3, 2018
- ↑ Pennsylvania Demographics, "Pennsylvania Cities by Population," accessed January 3, 2018
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017
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