HARRISBURG — A third Democratic aspirant for U.S. Senate and at least nine Republicans who want to be lieutenant governor were revealed Tuesday as the deadline for candidates to qualify for Pennsylvania's primary ballot unleashed an torrent of last-minute petitions.

All the candidates for statewide office who have been campaigning and raising money since last year filed the nominating petitions that — unless successfully challenged — will assure that their names appear on the May 18 ballot.

So did some others who had maintained much lower profiles.

What had been a two-man race for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate between incumbent Arlen Specter, who is seeking a sixth term, and U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak widened with the surprise addition of Joseph Vodvarka, a spring manufacturer from Western Pennsylvania.

Like Specter and Sestak, Vodvarka had to gather the signatures of at least 2,000 Democratic voters.

Unlike them, he has never held public office, according to his campaign Web site. He advocates smaller government, lower taxes and making English the national language. Vodvarka did not respond to telephone and e-mail messages Tuesday.

On the Republican side, former U.S. Rep. Pat Toomey and Johnstown activist Peg Luksik both filed petitions.

The dozen candidates for lieutenant governor — prospective running mates whom party members nominate in the primary along with the gubernatorial nominees —included only three Democrats.

The crowd of GOP hopefuls includes Jim Cawley, a Bucks County commissioner who carries the state party's endorsement; state Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, an outspoken conservative from Butler County; Lancaster County businessman Chet Beiler, the party's unsuccessful nominee for auditor general in 2008; and government-reform activist Russ Diamond of Lebanon County.

Others are Luzerne County Commissioner Stephen Urban, who also filed a petition to run for state Senate; former state Rep. John Kennedy of Cumberland County; Jean Craige Pepper of Erie County; York County businessman Steve Johnson; and high-tech entrepreneur Billy McCue of Washington County.

Democrats filing for lieutenant governor were former Philadelphia city controller Jonathan Saidel, who is endorsed by the party; retired Commonwealth Court Judge Doris Smith Ribner of Philadelphia; and state Rep. Scott Conklin of Centre County.

Seventeen U.S. House incumbents in both parties filed petitions on time, as did many challengers.

The two open House seats — the one Sestak is vacating in the Philadelphia suburbs and the late Democratic Rep. John Murtha's in Western Pennsylvania — were among the many districts that featured competitive primary contests.

The gubernatorial race produced no surprises. Filing petitions on time were Democrats Jack Wagner, Dan Onorato, Joe Hoeffel and Anthony Williams, who also filed as a candidate for the state Senate seat he currently holds; and Republicans Tom Corbett and Sam Rohrer.

In all, hundreds of candidates filed petitions by Tuesday for offices ranging from the Senate and the governorship to slots on the Democratic and Republican state committees.