Candidate for
Governor; State of Pennsylvania; Democratic Party

JACK WAGNER

Jack Wagner is Pennsylvania's 50th elected Auditor General, having been elected in 2004 and then re-elected in 2008. He has dedicated his life to public service and has the experience needed to serve as the Governor of our great Commonwealth:

• Auditor General
• State Senator
• City Council President and Member
• Neighborhood Council President
• Decorated U.S. Marine Corps Combat Veteran
• Member, American Society of Safety Engineers
• Paramedic
• Civic Leader
• Devoted Husband and Father

For example, The Philadelphia Inquirer called Jack "a seasoned straight-shooter" with "on-point experience," and wrote that he "has the best combination of integrity, breadth of experience, and Harrisburg know-how." (10/14/04) The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette cited Jack's "distinguished record of public service," "character and commitment," and "years of relevant experience in government," concluding that "[h]e has what it takes to grasp the issues and marshall a big department...to look out for the interests of Pennsylvanians." (10/10/04) And after citing his "outstanding credentials," the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review put it much more simply: "This is an important job, and Jack Wagner is ready." (10/28/04)

Jack was re-elected on November 4, 2008, receiving a record 3.3 million votes and 59% of the vote against two other candidates. Jack received the highest number of votes by any candidate from any party for any office on the ballot. This was also the highest number of votes ever received by a candidate for auditor general, and the second-highest number of votes received by any Pennsylvania candidate in state history, falling only 17,000 votes shy of the record.

Jack was again the endorsed candidate of the Democratic State Committee and ran unopposed in the primary. In the general election, he was again endorsed by nearly every major newspaper, union, and other organization that made an endorsement in that race.

For example, the Philadelphia Inquirer called Jack a "guaranteed performer" (10/28/08), the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (9/28/08) and the Erie Times-News (10/30/08) both praised his management style, and the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review proclaimed that his work was "directly responsible for badly needed reforms." (10/29/08) The Indiana Gazette may have put it best when it said that Jack's re-election was "a no-brainer" because he "has shown competence, innovation and commitment in his first four years" and "has taken to the job of serving as the public's fiscal watchdog with a tenacity that befits the former combat Marine that he is." (11/1/08)

Before taking office as Auditor General, Jack represented Allegheny County in the State Senate for over 10 years. As a State Senator, Jack was a leading advocate for early childhood education, expanded prescription drug coverage for seniors, and property tax reform. He served as Democratic Caucus Chairman, the third highest leadership position, and as the Democratic Chairman of the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee.

He also served on the Appropriations, Judiciary, Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness, Rules and Executive Nominations, and Policy Committees, and was a member of the Pennsylvania Firefighters and Emergency Services Legislative Caucus, the Pennsylvania Coal Caucus, the Legislative Arthritis and Osteoporosis Caucus, the Pennsylvania Veterans Memorial Commission, and the Task Force on Adoption Law.

In his first Senate race, on May 10, 1994, he out-polled his Republican opponent by a better than 3 to 1 margin in a special election and also captured the Democratic nomination in a multi-candidate primary. He won the general election in November 1994 for a full term, ran unopposed for re-election in November 1998, and was re-elected again with over 70% of the vote in 2002.

Jack also received almost a quarter-million votes statewide in his close second-place finish among a crowded nine-candidate field in the 2002 Democratic Lieutenant Governor primary as the running mate of then-Auditor General (now U.S. Senator) Bob Casey, Jr. Praising Jack's selection, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette wrote that he was "a familiar figure who radiates seriousness and stability." (3/14/02) When the Post-Gazette then endorsed Jack in that race, it called him a "steady hand" and "a serious figure" in Harrisburg, "a moderate Democrat who has taken generally enlightened positions on government reform and private-public partnerships to promote economic development." (5/12/02)

Jack is a combat veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, where he received the Purple Heart and numerous other military commendations for his infantry service during the Vietnam War. He served from 1966 to 1968, and was granted a medical discharge after being wounded in combat in 1967. Recognition for Jack's continuing efforts to assist veterans has included the Veteran of the Year Award from Veteran Community Initiatives, the Veteran of the Year Award from the Vietnam Veterans Leadership Program, the Outstanding Legislator Award from the Pennsylvania Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the Outstanding Service Award from the Pennsylvania War Veterans Council. He is actively involved in a variety of other veterans organizations, including the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Veterans Political Action Committee, Disabled American Veterans, Vietnam Veterans Institute, and Italian-American War Veterans.

Following his military service, Jack graduated from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a degree in the then-new field of Safety Management in 1974. He attended IUP under the GI Bill. While a student at IUP, Jack worked as a paramedic with Citizens Ambulance Service and taught emergency responder courses at Admiral Perry Area Vocational-Technical School in Ebensburg. He received the Distinguished Alumni Award from IUP for service to the community and the university in 1994 and served for four years on the IUP Alumni Association Board of Directors. Jack also attended St. Catherine of Siena Church Grade School in Beechview, South Hills High School in Mount Washington, and Point Park College in Pittsburgh.

Before entering politics, Jack was a private sector Safety Consultant and worked as a Loss Control Engineer and Safety Manager for CNA Insurance Company. In the private sector, Jack worked to ensure that businesses provide safe work environments for their employees. He continues to be a member of the American Society of Safety Engineers. Jack was also a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers for five years while working in a variety of capacities at Duquesne Light Company after graduation from high school, and was honored to receive a lifetime honorary membership in the union by IBEW Local 29.

As a local official, Jack gained a reputation for bringing a professional, common-sense approach to issues and for spearheading numerous reforms and improvements in city government and the community. He served as President of the Beechview neighborhood community council. He then served as a member of the Pittsburgh City Council for ten years, representing all city neighborhoods (1984-93), including four years as President (1990-93).

Jack has continued to demonstrate his commitment to his community through his chairmanship of Genesis-Riverside Run for Adoption; his service on the boards of Senator John Heinz History Center, the Obediah Cole Foundation for Prostate Cancer, the Veterans Leadership Program, the World War II Veterans of Allegheny County Memorial Fund, the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, and Sharing and Caring, Inc.; and his involvement with many other charitable and civic organizations. He is a member of the YMCA in Harrisburg and the Jewish Community Center in Pittsburgh.

Jack is a lifelong resident of the Beechview neighborhood in Pittsburgh, where he lives with his wife Nancy. They are the proud parents of Luke and Sara. They are members of St. Catherine of Siena Church.

And Jack is a bad golfer!