Associated Press Published

Governor Appoints Hopkins as State Auditor

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Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin has appointed Lisa Hopkins as state auditor.

The Democratic governor announced the appointment Friday.

Hopkins has worked for the auditor’s office since 1999 and has served as general counsel and deputy commissioner of securities since 2001.

She has a bachelor’s degree from Barnard College at Columbia University and a law degree from Boston University.

She replaces longtime Auditor Glen Gainer.

The 56-year-old Gainer announced in December that he wouldn’t seek re-election this year. He later announced that he’d resign May 14 for a job with the National White Collar Crime Center.

He first won the four-year auditor job in 1992. His father served as state auditor from 1976 to 1992.

Democrat Mary Ann Claytor faces Republican JB McCuskey in the November election for the auditor job.