HOEGEMEYER

State Auditor Beth Wood has competition​ in next year’s elections​ from within her own office: Tim Hoegemeyer, who serve​d​ as general counsel for the Office of State Auditor, ​will ​run for the same job as a Republican.

He​ ​spent 12 years in the office, including time leading the Fraud, Waste and Abuse Investigative Division. The Marine Corps vetera​n appears to be the first ​and only ​candidate to challenge Wood​, a Democrat,​ in 2020.

The primary is scheduled for March 3,​ next year, but the filing deadline is​ right around the corner:​ Dec​.​ 20.​ The general election is No​v.​ 3, 2020. ​

Wood, 65, is a CPA with both public service and private practice, ​and three terms under her belt in her role as auditor in chief for North Carolina. She is the first woman in the office.

Wood was narrowly re-elected to a third term as State Auditor in the 2016 general election in North Carolina over Republican Chuck Stuber by just 6,042 votes out of more than 5 million cast.

WOOD

Hoegemeyer gave 60 days’ notice, and he was reassigned him to work in the attorney general’s office.

The ​auditor’s ​job involves checking on how money is spent in state government. Audit​or Office staff in​ every area of state government ​look ​for potential savings and smart use of taxpayer dollars. The office has focused particularly on healthcare spending and contracting practices that favor vendors at the expense of taxpayers.

It’s a four-year term.