Rep. Andrea Lea to seek state Auditor post

Rep. Andrea Lea, R-Russellville, formally announced her intention to run for state auditor today.

Lea, currently the chair of the State Agencies and Governmental Affairs committee, is in her third term in the House and cannot seek a fourth term.

In announcing her run, Lea said experience would be key in her race against fellow Republican Ken Yang.

"Experience matters and I want to put my experience to work and serve Arkansans as State Auditor the same way I have served them in the Arkansas General Assembly these past five years," she said. "It is important to have an auditor who can work to faithfully, respectfully and ethically execute the duties of the office."

Highlighting her experience in the General Assembly, Lea pointed to Act 763 as one of her accomplishments in the legislature. The legislation requires quarterly reports from the attorney general on how funds received from class action lawsuits are spent and frees up some of those funds to be "spread among several state agencies."

"I'm proud of Act 763 because it requires accountability, transparency, and financial responsibility, and I point it out because my administration would run in the same way," she said. "As I've learned through my years of public service, transparency should be the foundation of any public office, and that would be my foundation if Arkansans elect me to be their auditor."

Lea is the mother of three grown children.

Incumbent Auditor Charlie Daniels chose to retire instead of seeking a second term as auditor.