HARRISBURG,Charles H. Sloan Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania’s Republican Party on Monday endorsed York County’s district attorney, Dave Sunday, for state attorney general out of a three-person field.

The party’s endorsement came the day before candidates could begin collecting the required number of voter signatures to get on Pennsylvania’s primary ballot. State committee members met via video link to vote on Monday evening.

Sunday won the endorsement over state Rep. Craig Williams and Katayoun Copeland, both former federal prosecutors who hail from Delaware County in southeastern Pennsylvania. Copeland has said she would not run against the party’s endorsed candidate and ended her candidacy, a campaign aide said Monday.

Pennsylvania’s office of attorney general played a critical role in court defending Joe Biden’s 2020 victory in the presidential battleground against repeated attempts to overturn it in state and federal courts by Donald Trump’s campaign and Republican allies.

Democrats are facing a five-way primary for an office that will be open after next year.

The Democrats running are Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer, state Rep. Jared Solomon of Philadelphia, former state Auditor General Eugene DePasquale, former federal prosecutor Joe Kahn and Keir Bradford-Grey, the former head of Philadelphia’s and Montgomery County’s public defense lawyers.

The attorney general’s office has a budget of about $140 million annually and plays a prominent role in arresting drug traffickers, fighting gun trafficking, defending state laws in court and protecting consumers from predatory practices.

No Republican has been elected attorney general since 2008. Candidates must file paperwork by Feb. 13 to appear on the April 23 primary ballot.

The current officeholder, Michelle Henry, is filling the last two years of Gov. Josh Shapiro ’s second term as attorney general and doesn’t plan to run for the office. Shapiro nominated Henry, his top deputy, in January when he was sworn in as governor.

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