Aikens to run for auditor

Submitted by csmorris on January 16, 2008 - 10:47am.
Tags: | | | | | | | |

Fred AikensFred Aikens will run for the Democratic nomination for state auditor.

Aikens, 57, is a retired state deputy of corrections and transportation and a retired colonel for the U.S. Army and N.C. National Guard. He served in Kuwait in 2003.

He's also been on numerous government councils and local nonprofits, including a stint chairing the State Government Information Technology Council.

If he wins the primary, Aikens plans to participate in a pilot program for public financing of the race. He said he hopes to increase accountability and reduce the focus of state government on campaign donors.

"I think we have seen enough scandal in Raleigh recently," he said in a statement. "It's time to clean up the mess."

Aikens will face Beth Wood in the primary. Incumbent Republican Les Merritt is seeking re-election.

You must be logged in to post a comment on this blog. If you already have an N&O online user account, click here to log in. Otherwise, click here to register (it's free!).

Comment viewing options

Select your preferred way to display the comments and click "Save settings" to activate your changes.

Re: Aikens to run for auditor

Submitted by gsquared on January 16, 2008 - 2:16pm.

Awesome that Col. Aikens has served in the US Army, NC National Guard, in Iraq, and now wants to continue serving the people in this way.

However, what's his financial qualifications? I ask because this race is for State AUDITOR, not Most Popular North Carolinian. Does he have a CPA license? ... A CFP license? ... Any direct accounting or auditing experience in his background? I still can't believe that we never had a State Auditor with a CPA license until Les Merritt became our State Auditor.

Finally, Col. Aikens mentioned the need to clean up the mess of recent scandals in NC State Government. However, what he fails to point out is that they haven't involved State Auditor Merritt, and primarily involved his fellow Democrats (e.g., Black, Decker, McAllister, Wright, Phipps, Garrett, Tatum, Miller, Geddings, G. Ballance, and F. Ballance). Maybe having a State Auditor with a financial background is partially responsible for some of the recent scandals coming to light (e.g., DOT, Dept. of Agriculture, Wake Co. School Transportation, and DMV Commissioner)?

» login to post comments