In 1996, Knoll, who was term limited, endorsed her daughter Mina Baker Knoll as her successor. Mina Knoll's opponent, Republican Barbara Hafer questioned her residency status because she had lived in New York City and the Knoll campaign attacked Hafer's leadership as auditor general. The race, which Hafer won, opened a rift between the two women that culminated in 2000 when Knoll herself ran against Hafer for treasurer. The race featuring arguably the two highest-profile women in Pennsylvania politics, was noted for its bitterness between the two; Hafer cited a fraud scandal investigation by the SEC into Knoll's office while she was treasurer, and Knoll attacked Hafer for questionable expenses paid by the state. In the end, Hafer won the election by less than 100,000 votes.