By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
Republican candidate for Alabama State Auditor, Ray Bryan addressed the St. Clair County Republican Executive Committee on Thursday night.
Bryan said, “I am here to introduce myself. I am running for state auditor.” Bryan is a practicing attorney in Anniston. Bryan said, “Government is spending money that they can’t afford.” “I am running for a position I believe that has to be eliminated.”
Bryan explained that contrary to public opinion the state auditor’s office does not audit government accounts. The Examiner for Public Accounts does the auditing. Bryan said that the State Auditor has devolved to the point that they are nothing but inventory specialists. They come in to a state office and scan the bar code on all the furniture and that is all they do, but the state spends $4 million running the auditor’s office.
Bryan said that the Examiner of Public Accounts has been handling all of the audits since 1947. Bryan claimed that it would save the state money if the auditor’s remaining role was transferred to the office of the Examiner of Public Accounts.
Bryan said that many in the Alabama Republican Party wanted him to run for that office. He decided to run for it; but he is running on the position in favor of eliminating that office.
Bryan said that Alabama State Senator Gerald Dial (R) from Lineville called him on the phone and said that he had tried to abolish the state auditor position ten years ago but that effort was killed by the Democrats who at that time controlled both houses of the state legislature. Bryan said that Dial agrees with him and is supporting his effort to end the Alabama State Auditor’s office.
Bryan said, “I am running for an office I want to eliminate. I am doing it because I think it is necessary.” Bryan said that he supports having a conservative government. To have that we need a smaller government. Bryan said that he is serious about making government smaller and that this election is a referendum on the issue of smaller government. Bryan said, “Hopefully we will make government smaller and more efficient for our children and grandchildren.” “My picture will be the last one on the wall in the state auditor’s office.”
Bryan also introduced his wife, Robin. The couple has been married for 35 years.
Ray Bryan will face Adam Thompson in the 2014 Republican Primary. Thompson has worked in both the Alabama Auditor’s office and the Alabama Secretary of State’s office where he was the Chief of Staff for Beth Chapman (R). Chapman has endorsed Thompson in the race. Chapman recently resigned from government service to take a job with ALFA.
Miranda Joseph is running for the office as a Democrat in the 2014 election. Joseph is a Shelby County resident who has run for the office before. Joseph will be on the Alabama Democratic Party ballot next June if anybody else qualifies as a Democrat for the office. Joseph earlier has lost a previous bid for the office to incumbent Samantha Shaw (R). Samantha Shaw is barred from running for re-election by term limits.
