Jack beats Dan among D party leaders from around PA in race for PA Gov Nomination

Specter wins Pa. party backing | Philadelphia Inquirer | 02/07/2010: "Wagner, who had been meeting party leaders among the back roads and veterans halls of Pennsylvania for months, received the majority of votes with 153 on the second and final ballot to 76 for his closest rival, Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato. Wagner won more than two-thirds of the 67 counties, dominating the smaller ones, but the county-by-county votes were weighted according to Democratic criteria.

Wagner called it a victory.

'I'm obviously very proud of the support,' he said. 'The majority of votes - over 50 percent - that is a strong vote total, in my opinion.'

Onorato, who saw in advance that he couldn't win, claimed a victory in preventing Wagner from winning.

'This is a big boost for us today. This is a big win for us,' he said. 'The state committee has made it clear they're not going to endorse anybody. It's wide open for me.'

Onorato said that with his huge advantage in campaign money - nearly 10 times what any other Democrat had Dec. 31 - he was in the strongest position to win in May.

Wagner and Onorato are both Pittsburghers. Their home county was split, with 26 votes for Onorato and 15 for Wagner. In other southwestern counties, Wagner more than made up the difference.

My early favorite in the race for Gov and Lt. Gov is on the R side, Russ Diamond. He is running for Lt. Governor.