Sunday, February 23, 2025, 1:13AM |  34°
MENU
Advertisement
Sen. Scott Wagner, left, of York County, Laura Ellsworth, center, a lawyer from Pittsburgh and Paul Mango, right, a former health care systems consultant from Pittsburgh, answer questions from the panel during a debate between Republican Gubernatorial candidates at Harrisburg Area Community College in Harrisburg, Pa., Thursday.
1
MORE

GOP gubernatorial candidates face off in debate

Chris Knight/Associated Press

GOP gubernatorial candidates face off in debate

HARRISBURG — Three Republican candidates for governor squared off Thursday night in a wide-ranging debate that covered such key topics as gun control, sexual assault policies, and how closely they would align themselves with President Donald Trump.

Laura Ellsworth, an attorney from the Pittsburgh area, Allegheny County health care consultant Paul Mango, and State Sen. Scott Wagner of York faced off at the Harrisburg Area Community College in their first public match-up since House Speaker Mike Turzai of Allegheny County dropped out of the race last month.

All three received loud, supportive cheers at various points during the debate, and unless someone drops out, all three will face each other in the May 15 Republican primary.

Advertisement

Here are a few takeaways from the debate:

Asked about gun control and background checks in light of the high school shootings in Parkland, Fla., Mr. Wagner said he wants to know whether current background check requirements are being properly enforced and that he wants “an armed, highly trained officer in every school.” Ms. Ellsworth said she would like to have students use swipe cards and pass through metal detectors to get into every school. Mr. Mango said he wants better resources for screening and diagnosing mental illness, and that he would like such a diagnosis to prevent individuals from getting firearms.

Asked later whether they would accept donations from the National Rifle Association, Mr. Wagner and Mr. Mango said yes, and Ms. Ellsworth said no.

Asked whether a legislator should resign immediately upon allegations of sexual or physical assault and what they would do to ensure a safe environment, all three said they would have a zero-tolerance policy. None of them used the word resign. Mr. Wagner and Mr. Mango both said taxpayer money shouldn’t be used to settle claims or lawsuits alleging sexual assault.

Advertisement

Asked about how closely they would be aligned with Mr. Trump or his administration, Mr. Wagner said, “I supported Donald Trump from Day 1” and that he expects the president will campaign for him since he won the state Republican Party’s endorsement. Mr. Mango said he voted for Mr. Trump and would welcome the chance to campaign with him. Ms. Ellsworth said she appreciated the president’s work on deregulation, veterans’ issues and the tax bill. 

Asked about ways to change the state’s process for drawing congressional maps, Ms. Ellsworth called for the Legislature to create a bipartisan commission of citizens to set district boundaries. Mr. Mango disagreed, saying the Legislature should draw the map, and Mr. Wagner repeated prior statements that he believes the state Supreme Court overstepped its bounds when it ruled that the map drafted in 2011 was an unconstitutional partisan gerrymander.

On some issues, all three candidates agreed. All of them said they oppose legalizing marijuana for recreational use. All three said they are “pro-life,” with Ms. Ellsworth and Mr. Wagner specifically stating they supported a state Senate bill that would have made it illegal to have an abortion starting in the 20th week of pregnancy, four weeks earlier than the current cut-off. That bill passed the Republican-controlled Legislature and was vetoed by Gov. Tom Wolf. Mr. Mango did not mention the bill during the debate but said afterward he would support such a measure.

First Published: March 2, 2018, 2:48 a.m.

RELATED
SHOW COMMENTS (0)  
Join the Conversation
Commenting policy | How to Report Abuse
If you would like your comment to be considered for a published letter to the editor, please send it to letters@post-gazette.com. Letters must be under 250 words and may be edited for length and clarity.
Partners
Advertisement
Leah Fauth gets a hug after leaving flowers in front of the West York Police Department after a police officer was killed responding to a shooting Saturday at UPMC Memorial Hospital in York, Pa.
1
news
Police officer killed, gunman dead in shooting at UPMC Memorial Hospital in York
The University of Pittsburgh's Cathedral of Learning
2
business
Amid funding uncertainty, Pitt pauses doctoral admissions
Elon Musk told federal workers Saturday that they must respond to an email by summarizing their accomplishments for the week, repeating a tactic he used to cull the workforce at his social media company.
3
news
Elon Musk gives all federal workers 48 hours to explain what they did last week
Pirates outfielder DJ Stewart gets congratulations from teammates after his home run against the Baltimore Orioles in the first game of the Grapefruit League season at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fla., on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025.
4
sports
5 takeaways from Pirates' spring training victory over Orioles
Mike Lange’s family, coworkers, and friends stand on the ice during a memorial celebration of Lange’s career and life at the PPG Paints Arena before the Penguins take on the Washington Capitols on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. Mike passed away on the 19th and was a beloved play-by-play announcer for the Pittsburgh Penguins for 46 years.
5
sports
Jason Mackey: Penguins hit all the right notes in honoring icon Mike Lange
Sen. Scott Wagner, left, of York County, Laura Ellsworth, center, a lawyer from Pittsburgh and Paul Mango, right, a former health care systems consultant from Pittsburgh, answer questions from the panel during a debate between Republican Gubernatorial candidates at Harrisburg Area Community College in Harrisburg, Pa., Thursday.  (Chris Knight/Associated Press)
Chris Knight/Associated Press
Advertisement
LATEST news
Advertisement
TOP
Email a Story