House speaker taking 'hard look' at Missouri auditor's race

Todd Richardson, left, is sworn in as the new Missouri House Speaker by Missouri Supreme Court judge Patricia Breckenridge on Friday, May 15, 2015, in Jefferson City, Mo. Richardson was elected unanimously to replace John Diehl who resigned after acknowledging he exchanging sexually suggestive text messages with a college freshman serving as a Capitol intern.
Todd Richardson, left, is sworn in as the new Missouri House Speaker by Missouri Supreme Court judge Patricia Breckenridge on Friday, May 15, 2015, in Jefferson City, Mo. Richardson was elected unanimously to replace John Diehl who resigned after acknowledging he exchanging sexually suggestive text messages with a college freshman serving as a Capitol intern.

SEDALIA, Mo. (AP) -- Missouri's Republican House Speaker Todd Richardson says he's considering running for state auditor.

Richardson told The Associated Press Thursday at the Missouri State Fair that he's "taking a hard look at the race" but hasn't made a final decision.

Current Democratic Auditor Nicole Galloway is up for re-election in 2018. She was appointed by former Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon to serve the remainder of Republican Tom Schweich's term after Schweich fatally shot himself in 2015.

Richardson was elected to the House in 2010. His colleagues elected him House speaker in 2015 after his predecessor, Republican John Diehl, admitted to sending sexually suggestive texts to a Capitol intern and resigned.

Both Galloway and Richardson were at the annual Governor's Ham Breakfast, a tradition among political hopefuls in the state.