Search
Close this search box.

Exclusive: Frank Ryan Emerges as Lone GOPer for Auditor General

By Keegan Gibson, Managing Editor

In the GOP race for Auditor General, former congressional candidate Frank Ryan of Lebanon County appears to be the lone man standing.

Ryan, 60, describes himself as a “citizen, soldier, small businessman, and volunteer.”  On May 1st, Ryan officially retired as a Marine with 42 years of active reserve and inactive experience. In the past, he has also been a professor of economics and is now the president of a private company, FX Ryan and Associates Ltd.

He came within 1,000 votes of defeating establishment favorite Dave Argall in the four-way GOP primary to take on Rep. Tim Holden last year.

“My entire business model is based upon the following [idea]: organizations need to be accountable for their budgets, they need to be responsible for their budgets, and efficient in their operations,” Ryan said in a recent interview with PoliticsPA.

He’s connected with Tea Party and other conservative groups, and has been a regular presence at the annual Pennsylvania Leadership Conference. He delivered the invocation at the dinner this year.

He says he was approached to run in 2008, but declined because of his appreciation of incumbent AG Jack Wagner’s performance in the position.

“I’m not a believer in running for the sake of running, and Jack Wagner has done a magnificent job as Auditor General.”

Ryan says he hasn’t made a final decision whether to run. In an email, he said that he plans to make a final decision in early June and that he’s considering many options.

However, his website appears to be in the process of transitioning from his Congressional campaign to the race for AG, and he has tweeted that he is a candidate for the office.

The Field

From the looks of the GOP field, he can take his time. As PoliticsPA surveyed Republican insiders around the state, Ryan is the only name we’ve heard for the office.

Well, technically he’s one of two names.

Chet Beiler, who ran for Auditor in 2008 against Jack Wagner, had also been mentioned. Beiler is a movement conservative in PA who also nearly captured the GOP nomination for Lieutenant Governor in 2010.

He ruled out a run in a statement to PoliticsPA, saying categorically, “I will not be a candidate for Auditor General in 2012.”

On the Democratic side, State Rep. Eugene DePasquale has announced his candidacy for AG.

Sources close to Allegheny County Controller Dan Onorato confirm that the former gubernatorial candidate is likely to run. Former Congressman and Senate candidate Joe Sestak has also been talked about for the office.

Jack Wagner is term limited.

Meghan Schiller and Christina Gongaware contributed to this report.

2 Responses

  1. I’m told that Ryan is a CPA, a forensic auditor and a principled man. There will be some very nervous pols in Harrisburg if he wins the job. Maybe a few former ones will get a little squirmy, too.

  2. I hear that former Congresswoman Melissa Hart from Allegheny County is seriously considering running. She would make for a strong candidate.

Email:
  • Do you agree that ByteDance should be forced to divest TikTok?


    • Yes. It's a national security risk. (60%)
    • No. It's an app used by millions and poses no threat. (40%)
    • What's ByteDance? (0%)

    Total Voters: 30

    Loading ... Loading ...
Continue to Browser

PoliticsPA

To install tap and choose
Add to Home Screen