We back Jack! – Announced Endorsements

Newspapers

• Philadelphia Inquirer
• Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Labor

• Amalgamated Transit Union, Pittsburgh (Pat McMahon, President)
• American Federation of Government Employees 3^rd District (Keith Hill, National Vice President; represented in Western PA by Ron Demichelli and in Southeastern PA by Jim Weyrauch)
• Beaver-Lawrence Central Labor Council (Dennis Bloom, President)
• Boilermakers Local 154 (Ray Ventrone, President)
• Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen/Teamsters Rail Conference (Ken Kertesz, Chairman)
• District 1199c of the National Union of Hospital and Health Care Employees, AFSCME, AFL-CIO (Henry Nicholas, President)
• Indiana, Armstrong, and Clarion Counties Central Labor Council (Ken Cecconi, President)
• International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 29 (Jeff Davis, President)
• International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 201 (Eric Hoover, President)
• Pittsburgh Fire Fighters Local No. 1 (Joseph King, President)
• Teamsters Local 30 (Ernie Gigliotti, Principal Officer)
• Transportation Workers Union (Willie Brown, President)
• United Auto Workers Local 544 Retirees
• United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1776 (Wendell Young IV, President)
• United Mine Workers District 3 (Ed Yankovich, President)

Organizations

• East Pennsboro Democratic Club (Cumberland County)
• Hospitality PAC of Western PA
• Humane USA PA PAC
• Mon Valley Police Association
• Pennsylvania Business Council, PEG PAC
• Pennsylvania League of Humane Voters
• Pennsylvania Restaurant Association

Elected Officials

• Lisa Bennington, former State Representative, Allegheny County
• Joseph Brennan, State Representative
• Judith Church, McKean County Commissioner and Chair, McKean County Democratic Committee
• Robert Crampsie, Carbon County Controller
• W. Michael Donovan, Vice President of Allentown City Council
• Flo Fabrizio, State Representative
• Kyle Foust, Chairman, Erie County Council
• Charles Getz, Carbon County Commissioner
• Jim Goodman, Schuylkill County District Attorney
• Rich Grucela, State Representative
• Patrick Harkins, State Representative
• Sam Hoff, Treasurer, Lycoming County Democratic Committee
• Phil Jones, Cameron County Commissioner
• Barb Kline, Cambria County Treasurer and State Committeewoman
• Fiore Leone, Vice Chairman, Erie County Council
• Jennifer Mann, State Representative
• Former Congressman Frank Mascara
• Jeremy Melber, Jim Thorpe Borough Councilman, member of the Executive Board of the Carbon County Democratic Committee, and Vice President of the Jim Thorpe Democratic Club
• Tony Melio, State Representative
• John Morganelli, Northampton County District Attorney
• Andrea Naugle, Lehigh County Clerk of Judicial Records
• William O’Gurek, Chair, Carbon County Board of Commissioners
• John Peck, Westmoreland County District Attorney
• Donna Schmitt, Somerset County Treasurer & State Committeewoman
• Peggy Schnieder, Elk County Treasurer & State Committeewoman
• Peter Schweyer, Allentown City Councilman
• Ronald Sheehan, Carbon County Treasurer
• Doug Shields, Pittsburgh City Council President
• John Vatavuk, Vice Chair, Somerset County Board of Commissioners; Chair, Somerset County Democratic Committee
• Sandi Vulcano, Easton City Councilwoman (and Past-President)
• Chelsa Wagner, State Representative, Allegheny County
• Bob Will, former Somerset County Commissioner and Prothonotary
• Justin Yaich, President, Jim Thorpe Borough Council

Democratic County Committees

• Armstrong County Democratic Committee
• Beaver County Democratic Committee
• Cambria County Democratic Committee
• Fulton County Democratic Committee
• Lackawanna County Democratic Committee
• Montour County Democratic Committee
• Schuylkill County Democratic Committee
• Warren County Democratic Committee
• Westmoreland County Democratic Committee

Veterans for Wagner

• Veterans Alumni Association of Allegheny County, Jim White, Chair
• Robert Abbott, Catholic War Vets (Allegheny County)
• Dan Blissman, U.S. Navy Vietnam Veteran (Westmoreland County)
• Bob Boland (Lackawanna County)
• James Bruder, U.S. Navy Club Chaplain (Allegheny County)
• Greg Daley (Allegheny County)      
• Ron Demicheli (Allegheny County)
• Joseph DeVito (Forest County)
• Bill Dilla (Crawford County)
• Hal Donahue, Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Air Force, Ret. (Lackawanna County) 
• Michael Dunn, M.D., Brigadier General, U.S. Army, Ret. and Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh (Cambria County)
• Glenn Embree, U.S. Navy, Plumbers and Pipefitters Union (Westmoreland County)
• Richard Fallon, Former spokesman POW/MIA Association (Allegheny County)
• Jack Flaherty (Allegheny County)
• Mike Hall, American Legion Post 358 Commander (Delaware County)
• Floyd Johnson, Jr. (Allegheny County) 
• Frank Lopes (Allegheny County) 
• Moe Mahoney, U.S. Navy (Allegheny County)
• Seamus Maloney (Allegheny County)
• Dave Mankamyer, U.S. Army Sergeant, environmental consultant, and former County Commissioner (Somerset County) 
• Anthony Marceca (Dauphin County)
• John May, U.S. Army Vietnam Veteran (Allegheny County)
• Ed McDonald, former All-American Commander of VFW Post, Sayre (Bradford County)
• James Mullen, U.S. Marine Corps Vietnam Veteran (Allegheny County)
• Bob Myers, Northwest Veterans Coalition (Venango County)
• Bernie Paisano (Allegheny County)
• Tom Petrone, Former Pennsylvania State Representative (Allegheny County)
• Rocco Polidoro, American Legion Post Commander, Springfield (Delaware County)
• Richard Portis, Robert Morris University Small Business Project Director (Allegheny County)
• William Sargent (Allegheny County)
• Thomas Scholler, Jr., Former Adjutant, Belleview VFW Post 2454 (Allegheny County)
• Ed Sheehan, Catholic War Vets (Allegheny County)
• Wayne Vlasic, Monessen City Controller (Westmoreland County) 
• Ray Webb, Veterans Alumni Association (Allegheny County)

Democratic Party Leaders

• Carmela Anzinger (Mercer County)
• Dennis Balbac, District Leader of Lebanon County Democratic Committee District 4, member of PennAg Democrats, and, like Jack, a Vietnam veteran
• Chris Benson, Executive Board Member, Lycoming County Democratic Committee; Executive Board Member and Corresponding Secretary, Pennsylvania Young Democrats; Immediate Past President, Lycoming County Young Democrats
• Cindy Blissman, Democratic State Committeewoman (Westmoreland County)
• Jessie Bloom, Chair, Lycoming County Democratic Committee
• Diane Bowman, Chair, Dauphin County Democratic Committee
• Jim Boylan, Democratic State Committeeman, Northumberland County
• Estrella Brooks (Allegheny County)
• Ann Bursis, PA Democratic Party Treasurer (Wayne County)
• Henry “Butch” Coira, Chair, Montour County Democratic Committee
• Brittany Concilus, PA College Democrats Membership Director (Clarion County)
• Mary Jane Dellafiora, Democratic State Committeewoman, Indiana County
• Linda DiCindio, Democratic State Committeewoman, Schuylkill County
• Germaine Donahue, Chair, Sullivan County Democratic Committee and small business owner
• Charles M. Dries, Democratic State Committeeman, Schuylkill County
• Harriet Ellenberger, VP of the PA Federation of Democratic Women, President of the Democratic Women of Westmoreland County, and State Committeewoman
• Douglas Engelman, Executive Committee Member, Lycoming County Democratic Committee
• Ron Fairman, Acting Chair, Indiana County Democratic Committee
• Guy Ferguson, Chair, Bedford County Democratic Committee
• Richard Gahr, Executive Committee Member, Lycoming County Democratic Committee
• Rheon Gelvin, Chair, Fulton County Democratic Committee
• Dianne Gregg, Chair, Centre County Democratic Committee
• Peggy Grove, Democratic State Committeewoman, Dauphin County Democratic Committee; Chair, Democratic State Committee South Central Caucus
• H.B. Von Hause, Vice Chair, Cameron County Democratic Committee
• Zach Hause, Chair, Cameron County Democratic Committee; Director of Political Affairs, Pennsylvania College Democrats
• Rob Hopkins, Democratic State Committeeman
• Kathy Huggins, Democratic State Committeewoman (Philadelphia County)
• Lu Inzana, Chair, Jefferson County Democratic Committee
• Marianne Jackson (Allegheny County)
• Frank Jacobs, Chair, Carbon County Democratic Committee
• Chris Katella, President, Clarion University Young Democrats and Chair of Students for Wagner
• Ed Kleha, Chair, Schuylkill County Democratic Committee
• Monica Kline, a leader of Lebanon County Democratic Committee District 4 and daughter of the late Lt. Gov. Ernie Kline
• Larry Kriess, Chair, Butler County Democratic Committee
• Greg Leathers, Chair, Greene County Democratic Committee
• Ruth Luse, Democratic State Committeewoman (Centre County)
• Florence Matta, Democratic State Committeewoman (Allegheny County)
• Maxine McIntyre (Philadelphia County)
• Bill Miller, Chair, Clarion County Democratic Committee
• Ian Murray, DNC Member
• Tim Nieman, a leader of Lebanon County Democratic Committee District 4
• Paul Niglio, Chair, Northumberland County Democratic Committee
• Linda Piso (Allegheny County)
• Jay Purdy, Democratic State Committeeman, Dauphin County Democratic Committee; former Lower Paxton Township Supervisor
• Courtney Robinson, 2nd Vice Chair of the Lehigh County Democratic Committee
• Susan Rutt, PA Federation of Democratic Women President (Lehigh County)
• Jimmy Schlener, Chair of the Bethlehem City Democratic Committee
• Dick Schreckengost, Chair, Armstrong County Democratic Committee
• Patricia Smith-Mendsen, Democratic State Committeewoman
• Janet Spleen, Democratic State Committeewoman (Lancaster County)
• Chris Tarsa, Chair, Lebanon County Democratic Committee
• Jean Theis, Democratic State Committeewoman (Erie County)
• Charlie Vizzini, veteran and Democratic State Committeeman, Cambria County
• Mary Ann Weaver, Democratic State Committeewoman (Lawrence County)
• Helen Whiteford, Chair, Cambria County Democratic Committee
• Sandy Wolfe, Democratic State Committeewoman (Cumberland County)
• Susan Wolpin, Democratic State Committeewoman (Bucks County)

Sometimes it seems like a short time ago we gathered in small clusters bound together as Vietnam Veterans. Our country had trouble understanding us and we fought to understand ourselves. How far we have come! We would not be denied. We fought for our rights. We stood tall and showed the country we served that Vietnam Veterans are an asset to be treasured. How far we have come! One of our own, a Vietnam Combat Veteran, a member of VVI has again stood up to serve his country and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. You got to know by now that I’m talking about Mr. Jack Wagner. A brief review of Jack’s public service demonstrates that he has always put good government above politics. The City of Pittsburgh and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has recognized and appreciated his talents, energy, and commitment. VVI for many years has walked point in Western Pennsylvania. Jack Wagner never failed to fight for rights and benefits for all Veterans. It has been a high honor to work beside Jack on Veterans issues for about 25 years. I am calling upon all the members of VVI, all Vietnam Veterans, and all Veterans to stand up for Jack Wagner…as he has stood up for us over and over again. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania deserves to have Jack become our next Governor. Jack Wagner deserves to become our next Governor. Let us stand together once again-once again. Semper fi!

—T.J. McGarvey

Jack has executive experience and experience auditing state agencies, exposing waste, fraud, and abuse. I also like his legislative experience as a former member of City Council (President) and the state Senate (Leadership). Jack’s track record gives him the ability to work with the state legislature.

—Germaine Donahue, Small Business Owner, Sullivan County

I support Jack for Governor, and consider him a friend. I know he will lead Pennsylvania in the right direction during these difficult times.

—Charlie Vizzini, Veteran, Cambria County

Jack has been a great friend to northeastern Pennsylvania for years, and he’ll be a Governor we can count on.

—William O’Gurek, County Commissioner, Carbon County

For the past five years, Jack has been the most reliable and effective public servant in our entire state when it comes to protecting taxpayers’ money. He has been relentless in exposing waste and abuse in public spending in every area of state government, and in every region of the state. Jack has exposed the bonuses in state government and has fought for three years for state pension reform. Recently, he tackled the dangerous practice of interest rate ‘swaps’ that benefit Wall Street at the expense of every hard-working taxpayer. Jack is a Marine Corps veteran who’s been in combat, and a veteran of the growing battle in Harrisburg between people committed to serving the public’s interest versus those who want a continuation of the status quo. He has always fought for reform, and Pennsylvania could not pick a better person to face up to the tough choices ahead while looking out for the ‘little guy.’ That’s why I back Jack.

—Dick Schreckengost, Armstrong County

Jack is the best Democratic candidate to beat Attorney General Corbett in the November general election. Pennsylvania is facing serious economic challenges. Auditor General Wagner has experience finding and cutting waste, making him the best candidate to face those problems.

—Larry Kriess, Butler County

Jack Wagner has a record of public service that starts with the Marine Corps in Vietnam and is continued today in his tenacious work as Auditor General, where he protects our taxpayers’ money from mismanagement, waste, and abuse. Jack is a man who Pennsylvanians have already twice trusted with the responsibility to ‘cover their backs’ wherever their hard-earned money is at stake, and I firmly believe that we all will be well served by entrusting Pennsylvania’s future to his experienced, capable hands as our governor.

—Peggy Grove, Dauphin County

Jack is a proven advocate for women, as demonstrated by his readiness to entrust women managers and administrators. Everyone will have a fair chance to serve in a Wagner administration.

—Diane Bowman, Dauphin County

As Auditor General, Jack has built on the reputation established in the office by Robert P. Casey Jr. for putting the protection of the people of Pennsylvania foremost. Not only is he their able champion, he wades right in when invited by Democratic organizations – urban, suburban, or rural – to assist them with fundraising or to boost a local candidate. Jack has proven dedication, proven intelligence, and proven that while his blood may be red, his politics are proud pure blue.

—Jay Purdy, Dauphin County

I back Jack because he has a terrific track record of being responsive to the needs of Fulton County. He has never written us off as a county that is too small to matter.

—Rheon Gelvin, Fulton County

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