Day-Mackenzie GOP primary a costly contest
State House 187th District candidates spent more than $278,000 in total through May 2
The two state House incumbents seeking the Republican nomination for the 187th District together have raised more than $400,000 and spent more than $278,000 on their primary campaigns.
It’s not surprising that Ryan Mackenzie, the 134th District representative since 2012, and Gary Day, the 187th representative since 2009, have raised significant amounts of money for a primary that is highly competitive and will help determine their political futures.
The two legislators found themselves squaring off in the May 17 primary election after the 187th was redistricted to include part of the 134th, including Lower Macungie Township where Mackenzie lives. No candidate is running in the Democratic primary so the GOP winner is virtually assured of representing the district for a two-year term.
Mackenzie has raised and spent more money than Day, but Day has more cash in the bank, according to campaign finance reports recently filed with the Pennsylvania Department of State for the period of Jan. 1 through May 2.
Mackenzie started the year with $102,723.10 and collected another $128,982.98, raising his total to $231,706.08. During the reporting period, his campaign spent $191,989.64, leaving a balance of $39,717.44.
Day, who began 2022 with $89,214.64 in the bank, brought in $79,800, increasing his total to $169,014.64. His campaign spent $86,293.26, leaving him with $82,721.38.
Mackenzie’s largest contribution – $65,532.98 – came from his congressional campaign committee. The committee was formed in September 2017, according to Federal Election Commission records, when he first considered running for Congress. He decided against running in 2018 and last year announced he would run for Congress from the 7th District. But earlier this year, he decided instead to seek reelection to the state House where, he said, he can have more of an impact.
Major contributors to his state House race include $10,000 from the Pennsylvania Aggregates and Concrete Association; $2,000 from the 1776 PAC; $2,000 from Operators for Skill PAC; $5,000 from Friends of Milou Mackenzie, the campaign committee for his mother, the 131st District state representative; $5,000 from Richard Koze Jr., president of Kay Builders from the Lehigh Valley; and $2,000 from Mark W. Jaindl, president, CEO and chairman of the board of American Bank.
Day’s significant contributors include $30,000 from Charles J. Koch (known as Jim Koch), chairman of Boston Beer, whose Sam Adams beer has a brewery in Breinigsville; $20,000 from David B. Rothrock, president and CEO of Rothrock Motor Sales in Whitehall; $2,500 from Robert S. Taylor, chairman and chief executive officer of the Cameron Companies LLC, a diversified holding company in Harrisburg that says it specializes in business and government affairs consulting; $1,000 from the Pennsylvania State Correctional Officers Association PAC; $1,000 from the Pennsylvania Osteopathic Medical Association PAC; $1,000 from PPL People for Good Government; $1,000 from Andrew Muller, owner and CEO of Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad.
Day also received a donation from a key state Republican Party figure. Bernadette Comfort, who lives in Upper Macungie Township and is vice chairman of the Pennsylvania Republican Party, donated $100.
The new 187th District comprises Heidelberg, Lower Macungie, Lynn, Washington and Weisenberg townships and Alburtis and Macungie along with part of Upper Macungie Township (Districts 03, 07 and 08).
Our story previewing the 187th primary can be found here.