Most Important Race: Gary Jones for State Auditor

As fellow bloggers Michael Bates and Ron Black have said, the most important election tomorrow may well be the race for State Auditor.

We really need Gary Jones to win.

He ran for this office in 2002 and 2006, and although he narrowly lost both times, his opponent (Jeff McMahan) is now sitting in jail. Gary is a tremendous corruption hound, and it is largely through his efforts that the Gene Stipe scandal was uncovered, and why Jeff McMahan is now in jail for bribery and corruption charges.

Gary also served the Oklahoma Republican Party with distinction, as chairman from 2003 to 2010. During his tenure, the GOP took the State House and State Senate, and made great gains in rural, traditionally-Democratic Oklahoma.

However, Gary will by no means turn a blind eye to corrupt Republicans while in office. Gary will actively go after anyone who is corrupt, regardless of party. Our state government desperately needs an Auditor who will vigorously shake this state up, and root out wrong-doing.

Gary is a Certified Public Accountant, and a Certified Fraud Examiner. He is eminently qualified for this position, and could prove to be Oklahoma's best State Auditor in history if elected.

U.S. Senator Tom Coburn, M.D., had this to say about Gary:

Gary Jones is the watchdog Oklahoma voters need as our next State Auditor and Inspector.  When it comes to exposing fraud and corruption in state government, Gary has proven himself to be up to the task.

Gary Jones understands that just as important as exposing corruption, we must also address the issues of waste, duplication and inefficiencies in our state.  Oklahoma citizens work too hard to see their tax dollars wasted.

Gary knows that we must make tough decisions today if we expect to give our children and grandchildren the same opportunities we were given by our parents and grandparents.

Please join me today in supporting Gary Jones, CPA, for Oklahoma State Auditor and Inspector."   - U.S. Senator Tom Coburn, M.D.

Ron Black said "Bean-counting is a turn-off for most of us who have long ago thrown away our pocket protectors, but it is the State Auditor and Inspector who will hold the keys to good, conservative and accountable government over the next four years.  Accountability in government has been one of the critical elements we have lacked in Oklahoma and there really is only one man for the job - Gary Jones.  [...]  The role of the Auditor is to do just that and as a private citizen, he has found more corruption than the elected officials who have held that post.  [...]  Those who know Gary know that he is an equal opportunity destroyer where corruption is concerned."

Michael Bates posted "[Gary Jones] has the intellectual firepower to look at a financial statement and to know where to start digging. He has the persistence to keep digging in the face of resistance. In fact, he knows that resistance means you've found the right place to dig. Gary Jones has the courage to step on toes when he needs too, even when those toes belong to fellow Republicans."

Although the other races on the ballot are each important, I think the race for State Auditor is THE most important, and no one is better for this job than Gary Jones.

You can learn more about Gary and his campaign by visiting his website at www.JonesAuditor.com. He is also on Twitter (@JonesAuditor) and Facebook.
 
[modified from the original post on July 16th]