The Lead

Veteran Democratic Rep. Scott Conklin joins the race for Pa. Auditor General

By: - January 7, 2020 4:17 pm

State Rep. Scott Conklin, D-Centre (Capital-Star file).

A veteran state House member from Centre County says he’s jumping into the increasingly crowded field of candidates running for Pennsylvania’s Office of the Auditor General.

In a tweet Rep. Scott Conklin wrote: 

“Today I am announcing my candidacy for Pennsylvania Auditor General. I’ve devoted the past 20 years of my life to serving my community in the heart of Pennsylvania, as a Centre County Commissioner to my current office of State Representative in the 77th House District.”

He continued in a thread, “My experience with legislation combating domestic violence, encouraging economic investment, and fighting against partisan politics, uniquely qualifies me to protect vulnerable Pennsylvanians from waste, fraud, and predatory practices.”

So far, seven candidates, five Democrats and two Republicans, have announced their bid for auditor general. 

In addition to Conklin, the ranks of the Democratic hopefuls include former congressional hopeful Christina Hartman, of Lancaster; Pittsburgh Controller Michael Lamb; as well as former lieutenant governor candidate Nina Ahmad, and Tracie Fountain, both of Philadelphia. 

The Republicans hopefuls are Dauphin County Controller Tim DeFoor and three-term Lancaster County Commissioner Dennis Stuckey.

As the seventh candidate to vie for the position, Conklin said, “I fully intend to leverage my decades of experience, with a clear and responsible fiscal focus, to continue fighting for the hardworking residents of Pennsylvania.”

Current Auditor General Eugene DePasquale, who’s term-limited out of office, is seeking the Democratic nomination in central Pennsylvania’s 10th Congressional District. He’ll face lawyer and author Tom Brier in the spring primary. 

The victor there goes on to face the winner of a primary match between incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Scott Perry, and GOP hopeful Bobby Jeffries, who, like Brier, hails from Hershey. 

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Cassie Miller
Cassie Miller

A native Pennsylvanian, Cassie Miller worked for various publications across the Midstate before joining the team at the Pennsylvania Capital-Star. In her previous roles, she has covered everything from local sports to the financial services industry.

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