(Radio Iowa) – Two Republicans are listed on this year’s Primary ballot for state auditor and the winner will face Rob Sand, the Democratic incumbent, in the General Election. Mary Ann Hanusa, who has been endorsed by Governor Reynolds, managed the White House Office of Correspondence for President George W. Bush. She was more recently elected to five terms in the Iowa House, representing her hometown of Council Bluffs for 10 years.

“I served as Government Oversight chair in the House when I was in the legislature,” Hanusa says, “I brought in front of the committee heads of state agencies, asking tough questions, making sure the Iowa taxpayers’ dollars were being spent appropriately.” Hanusa says Sand, the current state auditor, was wrong to audit and question how Governor Reynolds spent federal pandemic relief money on staff salaries and computer software.

“I believe that for the last four years our state auditor’s office has been politicized,” Hanusa says, “and there just isn’t any room for politics in this office.” Todd Halbur, of Clive, is the other G-O-P candidate for state auditor. Halbur sued the state in 2018, alleging he was fired from his job as chief financial officer the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division after he questioned some transactions. A spokesperson for the agency has said Halbur’s allegations are untrue. Halbur says if he’s elected state auditor, he’ll educate state employees on how to spot waste, fraud and abuse.

“The eyes and ears of all employees know what’s right and wrong,” he says. Halbur, who is a realtor, also owns a school supply business. He’s previously worked for three different banks and is taking the test to become a certified audit examiner. “I believe that Iowa needs an auditor that has the financial background and the qualifications that I have as a prior banker and the CFO of a large state agency of Iowa,” he says.

Sand, the Democrat who is Iowa’s current state auditor, is seeking a second term. The Democratic and Republican Primary Elections are next Tuesday, June 7th.