Topper outspends Lang in race for 78th District House seat

May 16--BEDFORD -- Rep. Jesse Topper, R-Bedford, has been in the state House just a couple of months, but his election campaign is enjoying the perks of incumbency.

Topper has raised nearly $20,000 to defend the seat he won in a special election earlier this year, according to the latest campaign finance reports. Political action committees have donated more than $13,000 to Topper's campaign since he succeeded the late Dick Hess in the 78th Legislative District. His committee also has employed Republican strategist Pathfinder Communications of Malvern for $11,100.

Josh Lang, a fellow Republican and a veterans' advocate, has raised $7,262 in his bid to unseat Topper. The Citizens to Elect Dick Hess gave Lang's campaign its largest gift -- an in-kind contribution of $2,450 in stamps.

Topper, 32, and Lang, 27, say they have been registered Republicans since they were 18 years old. Both tout socially and fiscally conservative credentials.

The primary election is on Tuesday. Democrats have not fielded a candidate for the position.

The Legislature redrew the district boundaries following the 2010 Census and 78th currently includes the Borough of Mercersburg and the townships of Montgomery, Peters and Warren in Franklin County, all of Fulton County and part of Bedford County.

Political action committees donated more than $13,000 to the Friends of Jesse Topper. The largest single contribution was $10,000 from Citizens for Jim Christiana, a conservative Republican elected to the House in 2008, whose campaign committee has raised about $250,000 this cycle. The other PACs donating to his campaign include PA Future Fund, PA Bankers PAC, Troopers Association PAC, Friends of Martin Causer, Stern for Assembly, PA podiatry PAC, UGI State PAC, PA FOP PAC, Pennsylvania Insurance PAC and Ameriserv Financial Inc. PAC.

Topper had more than $7,000 to spend during the final two weeks of the primary. Lang had just $137.

The PAC contributions to Citizens for Joshua Lang were $100 from the Humane Pennsylvania PAC, Red Lion, and $120 from the campaign committee of fellow veteran A.J. Gales of Westmoreland County.

For more information about the candidates visit http://www.jessetopper.com/ and

http://www.joshlangforstaterep.com/.

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