HARRISBURG -- More than 16 months away from the November 2006 gubernatorial race, Gov. Ed Rendell has a huge head start on his potential Republican competitors, having raised $7.2 million in re-election funds through the first part of June.

Not included in that latest tally was a contribution from the Hardy-Magerko political action committee, a $10,000 donation that was later returned. That committee is led by wealthy politician Joe Hardy, owner of 84 Lumber Co. and Fayette County's Nemacolin Woodlands, which is one of several resorts eyeing a license to operate a slots casino in Pennsylvania.

Last month, Rendell was rebuked by Republicans for taking an April fund-raising trip to Las Vegas and meeting with gambling company officials. Rendell was not collecting money for his own campaign, but rather was meeting and greeting in his role as finance chairman and chief fund-raiser for the Democratic Governors' Association.

Republicans said Rendell did not violate the letter, but did violate the spirit, of Pennsylvania's new slot machine law, which doesn't allow Pennsylvania pols to accept contributions from gambling companies. Republican lawmakers this week introduced a bill that would forbid Rendell from accepting contributions from the governors' association for his re-election bid.

Neither Hardy's Nemacolin resort nor his 84 Lumber is, technically, a gambling company. But even without the Hardy-Magerko donation, Rendell collected $1.7 million in the month between May 3 and June 6. Rendell's re-election campaign submitted their campaign finance report to Pennsylvania's state department this week.

"Mr. Hardy's interest in the gaming industry in Pennsylvania was reason enough for Gov. Rendell to return the $10,000 contribution," said Rendell press secretary Kate Philips.

"Once he learned he had received the check he quickly returned it," she said. "Although the governor has no role or influence over gaming licenses, he considered it a small price to pay for keeping this burgeoning gaming industry progressing forward without a cloud of suspicion that is often associated with campaign donations."

Although Rendell has no direct influence over gaming licenses, he did name three of the seven Gaming Control Board members.

Rendell received $2,500 checks from Bruce Lakefield, the CEO of US Airways, and John E. Luth, an executive with the same airline. The Philadelphia Eagles gave his campaign $15,000, and Comcast, the cable giant for which Rendell sometimes does TV football analysis, also gave Rendell $15,000 in June.

The three would-be GOP candidates -- state Sen. Jeff Piccola, former Lt. Gov. Bill Scranton and Steelers legend Lynn Swann -- did not file reports by Thursday's 30-day post-primary deadline, nor were they required to.

No matter who ends up being the Republican candidate for governor, Rendell figures to have far more cash to spend that his competitor. In his 2002 race against Republican Mike Fisher, Rendell spent more than $40 million on campaigning and TV and radio ads. Fisher's budget was closer to $15 million. Rendell hopes to surpass the $40 million mark this time around, too.