MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — House Majority Leader Eric Householder is running for state auditor.
Householder, R-Berkeley, launched his campaign Friday at an event at the Holiday Inn in Martinsburg with support from House Speaker Roger Hanshaw, the NRA’s Art Thomm, and Congressman Alex Mooney.
Householder, who has served in the House for more than a decade, has risen through the ranks and served as chair of the Finance Committee before being appointed House Majority Leader.
He describes himself as a fiscal conservative.
“I stand before you today with a deep commitment to our conservative principles,” Householder said to the crowd gathered at Martinsburg Holiday Inn. “I will put these principles to work in serving our great state as your next auditor. It is a role of utmost importance; one that demands transparency, accountability, and responsible management of our state’s finances.”
Householder was first elected in 2010. He served four years as finance committee chair before assuming the role of House Majority Leader before this past legislative session.
He has a degree in economics from Shepherd University as well as an MBA from Frostburg State University and has been a small-business owner for most of his career.
“My journey to this moment has been shaped by years of dedication to financial integrity and public service,” he said. “I bring with me a wealth of experience in financial management and accounting, which has equipped me with the skills necessary to safeguard the interests of our citizens.”
Householder has been endorsed in previous campaigns by the NRA, West Virginians for Life and the WV Manufacturers Association,
Among his goals, according to his campaign announcement, “transparency; safeguarding taxpayer dollars; rooting out fraud or corruption and collaborating with other agencies.”
“My vision as state Auditor is to ensure that our state’s finances are managed with the utmost integrity, efficiency, and transparency,” Householder said. “With your support, we can build a brighter future for our state, where every citizen can trust that their hard-earned tax dollars are being put to good use.”
Householder will continue discussing his plans for the office of auditor with visits this weekend to Morgantown and Huntington.
Current Auditor J.B. McCuskey has announced a run for state Attorney General. Del. Caleb Hanna.
Reporter Luke Wiggs contributed to this story.