Candidate, running mate pledge unity

at its best, and that has to stop.”

Mr. Wagner and Mr. Bartos, a real estate executive from Lower Merion who has never run for office, met while attending various events as part of their respective campaigns and began talking about two months ago about the possibility of running together, Mr. Wagner said.

“It was a deep, thoughtful process where I considered what I really wanted to be workingon,” said Mr. Bartos, who said he took issues with any insinuations that his move was an effort to clear the way for Mr. Bartletta to win the Republican nominationfor U.S. Senate.

Whether Mr. Wagner and Mr. Bartos will fundraise together remains to be seen. Bartos had just over $1 million in his Senate political action committee as of Sept. 30, more than half from loans to the PAC, according to a campaign finance report filed Oct. 13. Mr. Bartos made two personal loans, totaling $550,000, in June and September.

Mr. Bartos said he has asked his attorney and campaign finance experts to review whether he can transfer any of that money to the state campaign efforts. He promised to stay within the confines of campaign finance law.

Mr. Wagner is expected to face Paul Mango, a Western Pennsylvania businessman, and potentially also House Speaker Mike Turzai, from Allegheny County, in the Republican primary to challenge Gov. Wolf.

Also Thursday morning, State Rep. Madeleine Dean, a Democrat from Montgomery County, announced that she will spend the next few weeks exploring whether it is feasible for her to run for lieutenant governor. Ms. Dean said she hopes to make a formal announcement before Dec. 1.