The top Republican candidates for State Auditor are seeking support in the final week before ballots are cast.
Gurnal Scott: There's an interesting trend among the GOP challengers seeking to unseat Democrat Beth Wood. If you believe last week's Public Policy Polling numbers, the leading contenders have the least amount of auditing experience. Wake County School Board member Debra Goldman credits her part in crafting the system's billion-dollar budget in being a fiscal watchdog. Security specialist Greg Dority says he puts little stock in number crunching to be an effective auditor. They lead former state representative Fern Shubert who says her more than 40 years as a CPA make her a natural fit to follow the money. Hickory Mayor Rudy Wright says his 11 years as a chief executive has been about watching dollars and cutting waste. Poll numbers also show fewer than 40 percent of likely Republican voters know which candidate they'll back May 8th.