Anthony Williams to run for Pa. Auditor General

Philadelphia State Senator Anthony Williams, who just finished third in the Democratic gubernatorial primary, has his eye on another statewide office.
Democratic sources say Williams plans to run for state auditor general in 2012, and will announce that tonight.

Philadelphia State Senator Anthony Williams, who just finished third in the Democratic gubernatorial primary, has his eye on another statewide office.

Democratic sources say Williams plans to run for state auditor general in 2012, and will announce that tonight.  It’s unusual to announce a candidacy two years in advance, but Muhlenberg College political science professor Chris Borick said the job as the state’s fiscal watchdog can be attractive to someone with statewide ambitions, “We have seen in recent years the office be used as a springboard to go into either senatorial or gubernatorial races.”

The current auditor general, Jack Wagner, finished second in the Democratic gubernatorial primary, ahead of Williams, whose campaign got an astonishing five million dollars from three wealthy donors. One irony: Though Williams is running for an office that checks whether government records are in order, when he scheduled his announcement he was already six days late in filing his own campaign finance report.