GOP candidate caught on tape joking ‘the Russians are going to help' him win: 'I'll use Manafort if I have to'

A GOP gubernatorial candidate in Pennsylvania joked that he plans on getting a little help from his friends in Russia to win his election.

The Huffington Post reported Monday that state Sen. Scott Wagner, the GOP challenger for the seat held by the state's Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf, made the statements at a fundraiser on Friday.

"By the way, the Russians are going to help me with Tom Wolf,” Wagner said in a recording given to HuffPost by the Pennsylvania Democratic Party.

“If I have to use Paul Manafort, I will," the GOP state senator added.

The report noted that although it's clear Wagner was joking, the comments recalled a similar call for help from Russia made by President Donald Trump while on the campaign trail two years ago.

“Russia, if you’re listening, I hope you’re able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing,” then-candidate Trump said during a July 2016 speech. “I think you will probably be rewarded mightily by our press.”

You can listen to the recording provided by the Pennsylvania Democratic Party below, via HuffPost: