Local businessman Chet Beiler called on some political star power Sunday night, enlisting former Gov. Tom Ridge to help raise tens of thousands of dollars for the Manheim Republican's auditor general campaign.

However, Ridge told the Intelligencer Journal in a one-on-one interview that Beiler's chief strategy — blaming incumbent Jack Wagner for not curbing Harrisburg's "Bonusgate" scandal — will be a "tough sell," because the auditor general has no authority over the Legislature.

Ridge used his speech to more than 100 Republican donors at the countryside estate of Beiler's brother-in-law, Ron Kreider, to rip Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama, calling the Illinois senator's platform "socialistic."

Ridge said Obama's opponent, Sen. John McCain of Arizona, has characteristics that appeal to independent voters and "independent-minded Democrats." Ridge said he expects McCain to bring in cross-party votes and help candidates like Beiler.

He also praised Beiler's campaign.

"Chet has a very impressive base of support in central Pennsylvania, experiences that are apropos (for the office of auditor general), and he has grown name recognition among the party in the state," Ridge said.

Beiler, a former chairman of the Lancaster GOP, said the invitation-only event raised about $100,000, an unusually large one-time amount for an auditor general campaign.

Beiler took the podium under a canopy on a damp, cool evening and said Wagner is "making a mockery" of the auditor general position "so he can park his car there and run for governor in 2010."

Beiler was joined by fellow GOP candidate Tom Ellis, running for state treasurer, in saying Wagner's days as auditor general were numbered.

"I don't know whose head is next — maybe Jack Wagner's," Ellis said, referring to the extensive collection of hunting trophies and mounted animals adorning the Kreiders' parlor.

Steve Halvonik, a spokesman for Wagner, said the auditor general was one of the first state officials to condemn the use of salary bonuses across state government.

"He said they're not transparent to taxpayers — there's not a line in the budget for bonuses so taxpayers can know how much is being spent on them," Halvonik said. "(Wagner) called for a complete ban on bonuses."

Both Democrats and Republicans are under investigation for allegedly using tax dollars to reward state employees for partisan campaign work. So far, only Democrats have been charged.

Ridge, who governed Pennsylvania from 1995 to 2001 and was the country's first secretary of Homeland Security, was widely considered a leading candidate to be McCain's vice presidential pick. McCain instead chose Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

Palin has more executive experience than either Obama or McCain, Ridge said.

"The old candidate in the Senate goes for youth and gender and — I'm prejudiced here — and he goes to a guv," Ridge said.

Ridge criticized Obama's plans to raise taxes for those making more than $250,000 — like business owners who "are bustin' their backside," as he put it. Ridge said Obama's call for higher taxes on the wealthy and tax cuts for lower and middle-class earners amounts to a "redistribution of wealth."

"His philosophy of government is very socialistic," Ridge said. "He's a liberal."

But Obama spokeswoman Andrea Mead said Sunday night, "The truth is that Senator Obama's tax plan rewards the hardworking middle class families that have been cut out by eight years of tax policies that John McCain once opposed, but now supports.

"John McCain is the one trying to redistribute wealth by standing on the backs of the middle class and giving ExxonMobil a $1.2 billion tax cut."

E-mail: dpidgeon@lnpnews.com