As Pennsylvania's chief fiscal watchdog, the auditor general has a duty to monitor how state funds are spent, and the occupant of this elected office has a lot of discretion about where investigators can go deep.

Incumbent Jack Wagner has picked ripe targets during his first term in office, and he has solid results to show for it.

Mr. Wagner, 60, of Beechview puts his first-ever performance audit of the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency at the top of his list of accomplishments. Following news reports about lavish spending at PHEAA, Mr. Wagner announced the audit and, before it was completed, released an interim report because of the damning findings uncovered, including excessive executive compensation packages and other perks for employees.

He also points to his audit of the Port Authority of Allegheny County, which recommended adding state-appointed members to its board, and of the state's Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which found fraud in the six counties that were examined.

In order to oversee effectively how taxpayer funds are spent, the auditor general must employ and manage a professional staff without getting tangled up in partisan claims and counterclaims. In doing so, Mr. Wagner has the benefit of 10 years on Pittsburgh City Council and another decade in the state Senate.

His Republican challenger, Chet Beiler, 45, of Manheim, Lancaster County, grew up on a dairy farm and operates a number of small businesses and startups. His political experience largely has been behind the scenes and he was chairman of the Lancaster County GOP. His largest firm, which manufactures and distributes gazebos nationwide, has just 40 employees. He contends the auditor general is more reactive than proactive, but offers few specific suggestions for the office, with its 725 employees.

Libertarian Betsy Summers of Wilkes-Barre, a sales representative for a veterinary supply company, also is on the ballot.

Jack Wagner and his performance deserve a second term, and the Post-Gazette's endorsement.