A man who could be governor of Pennsylvania was in Sharpsville on Sunday afternoon.

Jack Wagner, the state’s auditor general, is running for governor in 2010 and spoke at the Mercer County Democratic Party’s annual fall dinner at the American Legion in Sharpsville on Sunday.

His purpose was to stump for local Democrats running for office, but he also talked about his plan for the state.

One of his messages was that local races might not get the same kind of media exposure as national and statewide races, but they can have more of a direct affect on people’s lives.

“When you go before a judge, you go before a district judge,” he said.

Wagner spoke for only a few minutes, and mostly urged those present to vote Democratic on Tuesday.

He did talk about one proposal he would bring forward if elected governor.

“Pennsylvania is 45th for public universities in the country” (in terms of price tags), Wagner said. “If I’m fortunate enough to be governor, that’s going to change.”

He said he would institute programs that would make it easier for Pennsylvania students to pay for higher education, something he said would lower unemployment and improve the economy.

Wagner said the high cost of college is discouraging high school seniors from furthering their educations.

Rep. Mark Longietti, Hermitage, D-7th District, and U.S. Rep. Kathy Dahlkemper, Erie, D-3rd District, also spoke, as did local Democratic candidates.