Article on Fundraising Status by Dem. Candidates for Governor

[JPZenger]

http://www.mcall.com/news/local/all-b1_5gov-5.6252850jan31,0,5986625.story

"Lehigh County Executive Don Cunningham raised nearly a half-million dollars last year as he considers running for governor, but he still trails other potential Democratic candidates.
Cunningham started 2007 with about $800 in his campaign account and raised about $489,000, according to his year-end report filed Wednesday in Harrisburg. He spent about $66,000, leaving a balance of about $423,000.

Cunningham, a former Bethlehem mayor and state general services secretary, was elected county executive in 2005. He said he will run for re-election next year and also decide next year if he will run for governor in 2010.

One of his top competitors for the Democratic nomination could be Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato. He had about $1.9 million last month, according to a Pittsburgh Tribune-Review report.

State Sen. Robert J. Mellow of Lackawanna County and state Auditor General Jack Wagner of Pittsburgh also are thought to be interested in running. They had $861,000 and $441,000 in their accounts in October and December, respectively, according to their most recent reports available from the Pennsylvania Department of State."

[PADEMJES12]

1. Wow looks like there's some

real war chests being built up by these very strong and well-known candidates. Should be able to put together a great east-west ticket.

[demodonkey]

2. Onorato is DINO. No, no, no to him !!

He's anti-choice, anti-gay, and he LOVES paperless touchscreen voting machines. (Diebold -- yes the "deliver Ohio to GW Bush" company Diebold -- was Onorato's first choice for voting machines for Allegheny County.)

Onorato = UGH.

[PADEMJES12]

3. Gubernatorial Candidates

Dan Onorato, as well as Don Cunningham, and Jack Wagner are all awesome candidates for govonor. They are all strong ethical candidates who have yeilded results as leaders. We need to come up with a great ticket, and im sure thats not going to be a problem because we have excellent candidates such as Onorato, Cunningham, and Wagner, as well as Bob Mellow, Barbara Hafer, and Josh Shapiro. From that cast of our super Dem stars, we'll be able to put together an excellent ticket... any two suit my fancy. And, yes, Im a Bob Casey democrat... pro-life, a hunter, and a strong participant and supporter of the organized labor movement and creating jobs/ keeping our young people in Pennsylvania. These candidates to me... repesent my official "short list for govonor- lt govonor". I think Ed Rendell has done an excellent job, and we need to put together a strong leadership- integrity ticket. You know toomey and rick will be chompin at the bit and spinnin their smack. Corbett will also be fishin. They'll be shut down by the folks above with years of experience and integrity.

JES
WESTMORELAND CO.