Lawrence County District Attorney Matthew T. Mangino received support of the Southwest Caucus of the Pennsylvania State Committee in his bid to run for Pennsylvania Supreme Court. The caucus met Saturday in Murrysville.

The Southwest Caucus consists of Beaver, Washington, Greene, Fayette, Somerset, Westmoreland, Indiana, Cambria, and Lawrence counties. Caucus chairman Jack Hanna has been instructed to deliver Mangino's vote of confidence to Governor Ed Rendell prior to the Democratic State Committee meeting in mid-March.

Mangino, 40, is in his second term; he was elected in 1998, after beating a 16-year incumbent. Mangino was re-elected district attorney without opposition in 2002.

In 2000, Mangino ran for Congress in the Fourth Congressional District. He finished second in an eight person primary. Along the way, he received the endorsement of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Mangino was one of only five candidates nationwide to receive the committee's endorsement in the primary.

On Feb. 21, Mangino was invited by Governor Rendell to address a meeting of approximately 20 Democratic party leaders in Pennsylvania. Those in attendance included Governor Rendell, as well as other elected officials, party operatives and labor leaders. Mangino said he will make a final decision on his candidacy before the Democratic State Committee meeting on March 15.