Political Newcomer Paul Mango Says He Has What It Takes To Be Governor
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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Move over Tom Wolf.
There's a Pittsburgh Republican who wants your job.
Meet Paul Mango, who grew up near Syracuse, New York, but whose employer sent him to Pittsburgh 30 years ago.
"I'd never been to Pittsburgh," Mango told KDKA political editor Jon Delano on Monday. "This was in February of 1988. My wife and I came down with our first daughter -- had just been born -- and we came down and we saw this city in February of '88. We made a decision on the spot. We moved here in June of '88 and we've been in the commonwealth almost 30 years. Wonderful."
Mango, a 58-year old West Point graduate with an Masters of Business Administration from Harvard, built a $500 million health care business for McKinsey and Company before deciding to run for governor.
"I think I have the leadership training. I think I have the business training," he said. "I think I have the obligation to step in and provide a different path for Pennsylvania and that's why I'm running."
Delano: "You've never held elective office before?"
Mango: "I've never held elective office. I am the outsider in this race, for sure."
A millionaire businessman running for office sounds like President Trump.
Delano: "Is this the Donald Trump mold that you're following?"
Mango: "You know, I think there is only one Donald Trump."
Says Mango, "I wouldn't say I was following anyone's mold. But I would say that I am an outsider, similar to the president, and I intend to bring change to the commonwealth."
Ticking off issues like economic growth, rebuilding infrastructure, and tax cuts, Mango says, "There's a lot of similarity between the President's agenda and my agenda."
PA Sen. Scott Wagner, the other Republican candidate announced so far, insists he's the Trump candidate, but Wagner's widely-viewed attack on a photographer brought this response from Mango: "I have not assaulted any photographers, ever in my life."
But one thing both candidates share is their view of Governor Wolf.
"Where's the leadership?" asks Mango. "I mean I think this guy's in the witness protection program for the last couple of years. Honestly, where has he been?"
Republicans pick their candidate for the Republican nomination in nine months.