Lloyd Smucker garnered $33,500 Thursday at a fundraising dinner for his campaign to become the next state senator in the 13th District.

Most of that money, like many of Smucker's other campaign contributions, came from the construction community — a fact that drew fire Monday from Smucker's main rival in the fight for the GOP nomination for the 13th District seat, Paul Thibault.

"We all know that when interest groups coalesce around a specific candidate — as Lloyd himself said, special interests have resulted in our government spending too much, taxing too much and delivering very little," Thibault, a former county commissioner, said.

A West Lampeter Township supervisor, Smucker is the former president of commercial wall and ceiling contractor Smucker Co.

He said his list of donors simply reflects the circles in which he spends his life.

"These are people I have worked with over the past 25 years," he said. "They know me, and they know I will do a good job for everyone in the 13th District."

Smucker noted that, in addition to the contributions he's received from local builders, he also has the endorsement of the Pennsylvania Ag Coalition.

"I think that shows people believe I know how to balance farmland preservation with the need for growth," he said.

Smucker and Thibault are vying with York businessman Bill Neff and Lancaster County Recorder of Deeds Steve McDonald in the April 22 primary election for the GOP nomination to replace retiring state Sen. Gibson E. Armstrong. Smucker and Thibault are regarded as the primary contenders for the nomination.

Whoever wins on April 22 will face Democrat Jose Urdaneta, a city councilman, in the November general election. Urdaneta is unopposed in the primary.

According to the latest campaign finance reports released Monday, Smucker raised $35,000 in contributions from 17 individuals and two political action committees last week.

All but three donations, totaling $1,500, were made during a fundraiser hosted Thursday night in Manheim by the Associated Builders and Contractors Keystone Chapter.

ABC's political action committee led all donors by pitching $20,000 to Smucker's campaign.

Building Industry Association of Lancaster's political action committee chipped in an additional $500.

Smucker's campaign finances have stirred controversy ever since he claimed on Feb. 9 to have raised $185,000 in two weeks.

In a finance report filed Friday, Smucker revealed he had actually only raised about $126,000 in donations during the previous three months, and that he had loaned his campaign an additional $121,000.

As of Feb. 9, he had raised just $29,150 in donations, according to the report.

Smucker said the $185,000 claim referred to "pledges" people made to his campaign, including an $80,000 loan from himself.

That was a misleading claim, Thibault said.

"It definitely casts a shadow over his political activity," Thibault said. "We've been complaining about government hiding behind thick walls. We don't need a candidate doing that before he's even elected."

Thibault's campaign noted that about $120,000 of the donations made so far to Smucker's campaign have come from people in the construction industry.

"This election is about representing the people of the 13th District," Thibault said. "The people in this district come from all walks of life, not just the construction industry."

Donors to Thibault's campaign come from a variety of industries and professions, according to Thibault.

"There are retirees, homemakers, doctors, lawyers and others," he said.

Thibault raised $159,025 through Friday's reporting period, which did not include the contributions reported Monday.

Thibault on Monday reported raising another $14,750 — nearly half of which came from Eugene Gardner of Bausman, who contributed $7,000.

Thibault said Gardner owns an investment firm in Lancaster.

E-mail: preilly@lnpnews.com