Although Republican candidates agree on the major issues facing 1994 gubernatorial candidates --job creation, education and crime -- U.S. Rep. Thomas Ridge has the upper hand with endorsements, including one from the Republican State Committee.

Ridge, R-Pa., won the committee majority's endorsement 175 to 110, or about 63 percent. The other Republican gubernatorial primary candidates include state Sen. Mike Fisher, Attorney General Ernie Preate and businessman Sam Katz.

The endorsement serves as a recommendation to Republicans and gives Ridge an organizational and financial advantage over his opponents by having the formal backing of this group, a Ridge campaign representative said.

For the past 50 years, every endorsed candidate has won the Republican primary election, the Ridge representative said. The committee is comprised of 296 Republicans who are elected from all 67 counties.

In other endorsements, the state's Republican District Attorney coalition announced they are supporting Ridge in the gubernatorial primary election. The coalition is headed by Montgomery County District Attorney Michael Marino and Erie County District Attorney Rusty Cunningham.

"Ridge understands the connection between the breakdown of our families, lack of economic opportunities and escalating crime rates in our communities," Marino said. Ridge is a former assistant district attorney from Erie.

Ridge was also endorsed by Republican committees in Philadelphia, Erie, Northhampton, Lycoming, Delaware and Bucks counties.

Fisher, R-Allegheny, said he wants to bring jobs back to Pennsylvania, allowing companies to stay in state. Fisher is a former assistant district attorney in Allegheny County, vice chairman of the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency and a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Preate, who served six years as attorney general, said he wants to enforce drug task forces, change the educational system and create new jobs.

"The commonwealth should protect the rights of Pennsylvanian citizens," Preate said. The state should not be divided in gridlock, he said.

Philadelphian Katz, who ran for the Republican nomination for Philadelphia's mayor in 1991, has geared his campaign to improve governmental programs and work for welfare, health care, education and crime control.

Although Katz came in third in a three-way primary for mayor, he received editorial endorsements from The Wall Street Journal, The Philadelphia Inquirer, the Philadelphia Daily News and the Philadelphia Tribune. Katz was co-chief officer of Public Financial Management before resigning to run for governor.

State Sen. Earl Baker dropped out of the gubernatorial race earlier this month.