Although the Pennsylvania Democratic Committee decided not to endorse a gubernatorial candidate for the May primary, seven candidates seeking the Democratic nomination have continued business as usual.

Lt. Gov. Mark Singel, former U.S. Senate candidate Lynn Yeakel, state Rep. Dwight Evans, State College businessman Erick Whiting Weil, attorney Charles Volpe, state Rep. Bob O'Donnell and state Treasurer Catherine Baker Knoll have spent months campaigning statewide -- visiting as many counties as possible to promote their ideas before the primary on May 10.

Singel recently decided to drop a television advertisement that Gov. Robert P. Casey criticized for stabbing at his administration. Singel's campaign said the advertisement will be replaced in conjunction with the regular rotation of ads.

Casey's press secretary Vince Carocci said Singel had cleared up the "misunderstanding" by informing the Radio Pennsylvania network that he was proud of the Casey administration's record on reducing spending and plans to build on it.

Ed Peavy, Singel's campaign manager, said the campaign has placed an order to replace the controversial ad with a welfarereform advertisement.

Yeakel, a Philadelphian who ran for U.S. Senate against Arlen Specter in 1992, has criticized Singel for his lack of knowledge about crime victims' rights and needs.

Singel pointed out that Pennsylvania needs to create a new agency to "assess the needs of crime victims and victim-service agencies." But Yeakel noted that the state has a Crime Victims Compensation Board, as well as a network of regional victim-advocate agencies.

Yeakel said Singel has overlooked the important work of the Crime Victims Compensation Board in an attempt to create bureaucracy in the state's criminal justice system.

With the support of several national women's organizations, Yeakel said she would use the governor's office to implement tougher penalties for repeat and violent criminals, to strengthen victims' rights and to increase the fine convicted criminals pay to the state from $30 to $150.

In a letter signed by 50 members of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from 22 counties across the state, representatives wrote that Evans was "the best qualified candidate and would make the best governor."

The letter -- signed by leaders such as Rep. H. William DeWeese, speaker of the House, Rep. Ivan Itkin, House majority leader, and Rep. Mark B. Cohen, House majority whip -- credited Evans with working to pass the School Finance Equity Act of 1993, which commits the state to a greater financial responsibility for basic education of children in poor rural and urban areas.

Whiting Weil, a State College owner of a mail-order company, has pledged that he will not accept money from anyone for his campaign and will not pay for advertising. Instead, he said he will rely on the news media and a direct approach.

Although he has never run for public office before, Volpe said he wants to return the government to the taxpayers of Pennsylvania. Volpe said he wants to cut income tax, reform worker's compensation to stop driving jobs out of the state, lower property tax, pass strict legislation on crime and ban assault weapons.

Hayes Davis, president of the University of Pittsburgh Democrats, said his organization was impressed that Volpe took the time to talk with college students, so they decided to endorse him for governor.

Keeping with the trend of other candidates, state Rep. Bob O'Donnell, D-Philadelphia, said he will work to create jobs, improve schools and combat crime. O'Donnell has created a four-point plan titled the "Blueprint for Pennsylvania: Smart Schools for Smart Jobs" to create jobs.

Although state Treasurer Catherine Baker Knoll dropped out of the race earlier this year, she decided to re-enter the race after the state committee meeting early February.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.