A campaign fund-raiser that was supposed to be held Tuesday by area businessman James E. Winner Jr. for Republican gubernatorial candidate state Attorney General Mike Fisher was postponed because of a scheduling conflict, a Winner spokeswoman said.

The planned event at Buhl Mansion was to offer $500 and $1,000 donors up-close access to Fisher -- who faces Democrat Ed Rendell, the former mayor of Philadelphia, in November.

The spokeswoman said Winner hopes to reschedule the event for the fall, but no date has been set. She said a new date could be set after Fisher and Rendell iron out a potential debate schedule.

Winner sent "fellow Republicans" a letter dated May 17 announcing the planned Buhl Mansion fund-raiser.

"The fall campaign will be a tough one and will require a lot of money if our candidate (Fisher) is to win," Winner wrote. "The opposition, through unions and others, will raise substantial sums -- in excess of (the) $13 million (that both Rendell and state Auditor General Bob Casey Jr.) spent in the Democratic primary," Winner added.

The fund-raiser was slated to begin at 5:30 p.m. and last two hours.

Up to 25 "premier supporters" paying $1,000 apiece were to get the opportunity during the first hour "to speak to Mike personally and get better acquainted," Winner said. He said five people had made $1,000 commitments as of May 17.

Access to Fisher was to be available to 40 "special supporters" paying $500 apiece during the second hour.

The spokeswoman said those who made donations were contacted about the postponement, and none of them asked for their money to be returned.

Their donations -- most of them for $1,000 -- would be good in the fall. Winner will send out another GOP mass mailing announcing the event at a later date, she added.