DiZoglio beats Dempsey, will face Amore in state auditor race

State Sen. Diana DiZoglio bested fellow Democrat Chris Dempsey in the state auditor primary race, according to the Associated Press.

The Methuen Democrat defeated the transportation activist in a surprisingly lively contest in which both candidates sought to appeal to liberal voters and struggled to get voters to understand what the state auditor does.

Come November, DiZoglio will duke it out against her Republican opponent, Anthony Amore, to become one of the state's most important watchdogs. Amore is the head of security for the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston and for years led the effort to recover the stolen art from the Boston institution.

The winner in the fall will succeed longtime state auditor Suzanne Bump, who will have served in the role for 12 years when her term ends in January. Dempsey, who often reminded voters of his efforts to keep the 2024 Olympics out of Boston, had received Bump's endorsement in the race.

The open race for Massachusetts auditor was one of several open contests for major statewide positions. The state auditor is responsible for reviewing the effectiveness of all state offices, departments and commissions on a set schedule. It's a role that is not always well understood by voters, leading both Dempsey and DiZoglio to explain the job as they courted votes.

Correction: An earlier version of this story said Amore was no longer in his Gardner role; he remains the head of security for the Gardner. The post has been updated. We regret the error.