Tim DeFoor
52nd Auditor General of Pennsylvania
Assumed office
January 19, 2021 (2021-01-19)
GovernorTom Wolf
Josh Shapiro
Preceded byEugene DePasquale
Controller of Dauphin County
In office
January 4, 2016 (2016-01-04) – January 19, 2021 (2021-01-19)
Preceded byMarie Rebuck
Succeeded byMary Bateman
Personal details
Born (1961-11-18) November 18, 1961[1]
Political partyRepublican
EducationHarrisburg Area Community College
Pennsylvania State University (BA)
University of Pittsburgh (BA)
Harrisburg University of Science and Technology (MS)
WebsiteCampaign website

Timothy Lionel DeFoor[2] (born November 18, 1961) is an American politician who currently serves as the Pennsylvania Auditor General. He previously served as the Controller of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. He is the first black auditor general in Pennsylvania history.[3]

DeFoor's victory in the 2020 Pennsylvania Auditor General election made him the first African American and person of color to win election to statewide executive office in Pennsylvania,[1][4] and the second to hold statewide office following Tim Reese.[4] Upon taking office as Auditor General, DeFoor also became the first Republican to hold that office since Barbara Hafer, who left office in 1997.[5]

Education

Prior to attending college, DeFoor graduated from Susquehanna Township High School.[6] DeFoor holds an associate degree in paralegal studies from Harrisburg Area Community College.[7] He also graduated from Pennsylvania State University with a bachelor's degree in psychology, and earned a second bachelor's degree from the University of Pittsburgh in sociology and history.[7] DeFoor earned a master's degree in project management from Harrisburg University of Science and Technology.[7]

Career

Early career

DeFoor began his career in 1986 as an investigator for the Dauphin County public defender's office.[8] He subsequently worked as an investigator for Pennsylvania's Office of the Inspector General and the Pennsylvania Attorney General.[9][8][10] He has also worked as an internal auditor and fraud investigator for UPMC Health Plan,[11] and as a consultant for Booz Allen Hamilton.[8]

County controller

DeFoor won election to the office of Dauphin County controller in 2015, defeating Democratic nominee Eric Gutshall. He was the first African American to win election to a county row office in Dauphin County.[11] During his first term as controller, DeFoor's work won recognition from the Government Finance Officers Association.[12] DeFoor then won re-election in 2019, running unopposed. After being elected Auditor General, DeFoor submitted his resignation as county controller on December 21, 2020, to take effect on the morning of January 19, 2021.[13] Mary Bateman was elected on November 2, 2021, to succeed him as controller.[14][15]

Auditor General

DeFoor announced his intent to run in the 2020 Pennsylvania Auditor General election on December 19, 2019.[16] DeFoor was endorsed by the Republican State Committee of Pennsylvania in January 2020,[17] leading one of his Republican primary opponents, Dennis Stuckey, to withdraw from the race. The other remaining Republican in the field, Cris Dush, later withdrew to seek a seat in the Pennsylvania State Senate,[18] leaving DeFoor as the sole candidate in the Republican primary. In the general election, DeFoor was pitted against Dr. Nina Ahmad, a progressive activist and former deputy mayor of Philadelphia. On November 6, 2020, the Associated Press called the race for DeFoor.[19]

DeFoor took office as Auditor General on January 19, 2021, succeeding Democrat Eugene DePasquale.[13] In his inaugural address, DeFoor paid tribute to figures such as John Lewis, who he credited with paving the way for himself to enter politics,[13] and pledged to "look at every issue through a non-partisan lens."[20] He further pledged to maintain members of DePasquale's staff who he felt were capable, and stated that one of his first priorities as Auditor General would be to complete an audit of Governor Tom Wolf's COVID-19 business waiver program.[13][20]

Electoral history

Pennsylvania Auditor General election, 2020[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Timothy DeFoor 3,338,009 49.44% +4.36%
Democratic Nina Ahmad 3,129,131 46.35% -3.66%
Libertarian Jennifer Moore 205,929 3.05% +0.82%
Green Olivia Faison 78,588 1.16% -1.53%
Total votes 6,751,657 100.0%
Republican gain from Democratic
Dauphin County Controller election, 2019[22]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Timothy DeFoor (incumbent) 32,293 99.76%
Write-in 79 0.24%
Total votes 32,372 100.0
Dauphin County Controller election, 2015[23]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Timothy DeFoor 22,100 55.75%
Democratic Eric Gutshall 17,532 44.23%
Write-in 8 0.02%
Total votes 39,640 100.0

References

  1. 1 2 Miller, Allie (November 6, 2020). "Republican Timothy L. DeFoor defeats Democrat Nina Ahmad for Pennsylvania Auditor General". PhillyVoice.com. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
  2. ↑ "Congratulations to the Class of 2015!". Harrisburg University of Science and Technology. July 24, 2015. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
  3. ↑ "Timothy DeFoor to become first black auditor general in Pa". The Philadelphia Tribune. Associated Press. November 6, 2020. Retrieved June 6, 2023.
  4. 1 2 Levy, Marc (June 17, 2020). "Pa. Auditor General's race poses historic first for candidates of color". The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
  5. ↑ Erdley, Deb (November 5, 2020). "Shapiro takes lead in tight race in attorney general race; contenders still battling for treasurer; DeFoor wins auditor general". The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
  6. ↑ Brown, Kayla (January 29, 2021). "Honoring Black History: Tim DeFoor". WHTM-TV. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
  7. 1 2 3 "Republican Timothy DeFoor is Pennsylvania's next auditor general after historic victory". WPMT. November 6, 2020. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
  8. 1 2 3 "Timothy L. DeFoor, M.S." LinkedIn. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
  9. ↑ "Pennsylvania auditor general: Timothy DeFoor elected". WGAL. November 6, 2020. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
  10. ↑ "Non-Partisan Voters Guide" (PDF). League of Women Voters of Chester County. p. 10.
  11. 1 2 WKBN Staff (October 24, 2020). "2020 Candidate for Pennsylvania's Auditor General: Tim DeFoor". WKBN-TV. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
  12. ↑ "Dauphin County Controller earns two national awards for excellence in public sector financial reporting". Dauphin County. December 5, 2017. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
  13. 1 2 3 4 Murphy, Jan (January 19, 2021). "Auditor General Tim DeFoor vows to deliver on 'accountability, integrity, and transparency'". PennLive.com. Retrieved January 19, 2021.
  14. ↑ "2021 Municipal Election Results". Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. November 9, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
  15. ↑ Miller, Matt (February 17, 2021). "Bateman announces bid for Dauphin County controller". Patriot-News. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
  16. ↑ Cole, John (December 19, 2019). "DeFoor Announces Bid For Auditor General". PoliticsPA. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
  17. ↑ Cole, John (January 25, 2020). "PAGOP Endorses DeFoor for Auditor General, Heidelbaugh for Attorney General, Garrity for Treasurer". PoliticsPA. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
  18. ↑ Cole, John (February 13, 2020). "Dush Drops Auditor Bid to Seek Scarnati Senate Seat". PoliticsPA. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
  19. ↑ The Associated Press (November 6, 2020). "PA picks GOP auditor; reelects Shapiro, US House incumbents". APnews.com. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
  20. 1 2 Caruso, Stephen; Hardison, Elizabeth (January 19, 2021). "Pa. row officers sworn in, bringing diversity, GOP shakeup to Harrisburg". Pennsylvania Capital-Star. Retrieved January 19, 2021.
  21. ↑ "2020 Presidential Election - Statewide". Pennsylvania Department of State. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  22. ↑ "Municipal Election Results". Dauphin County. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
  23. ↑ "Municipal Election Results". Dauphin County. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
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