The primary election is May 21, and there are several candidates seeking their party's nomination. The Pure Politics team has contacted each candidate with a primary opponent to find out who they are, and what they stand for. 

Chris Tobe is a Democrat running for State Auditor of Public Accounts. 

Tobe has 30 years experience within the financial sector, including working for three years under former Auditor Ed Hatchett. Tobe says under Hatchett is where he began work with pensions. 

"I'm the most qualified, experienced candidate in the race. I have a Master's Degree in Finance and Accounting from Indiana University," Tobe said. "I've taught accounting at the college level, I have a lot of experience. I've worked with public pension plans all over the country, I've worked for auditors who audit pension plans around the country as well. So I have a long history of experience to hit the ground running." 

Tobe decided to run for the office, mainly because of the pension crisis in Kentucky. 

"I'm in my 22nd year of being told I've exaggerated the pension crisis. I've been working on this for a long time, the auditor brought me in 22 years ago to help solve this pension crisis," he said. "I kind of feel like I have some ownership of it, I was put on the board of trustees for four years, I've written a 500 page book about it, so I feel ownership when I see things go wrong." 

Tobe worked with former Rep. Jim Wayne on legislation requiring an audit every five years on the Kentucky Retirement Systems. Tobe says current Auditor Mike Harmon's most recent audit of the systems was weak, and didn't find illegal investments being made by a trustee. 

"It really spurred me into wanting to run for auditor, because he was not doing a good job, and I knew I could do a much better job," he said. 

It's not only governmental agencies and systems he believes need to be audited, non-governmental projects should be subject to audits as well--if they use state money. Two things he is particularly interested in auditing is the KFC Yum! Center, and Braidy Industries. But--funding for the auditors office has gone down, and pay for auditors isn't great--meaning many positions within the office are left empty, Tobe says the problem can be combatted by having someone experienced leading the office. 

"I think it starts by having someone qualified at the top, you need somebody at the top who can put a full 40 hours a week as an expert, so you don't need to hire additional experts," he said. "You just don't want a politician coming in at the top, then they have to rely on experts, who we really can't pay for."

While Kentucky is trending more red in elections, Tobe doesn't believe this office is an overly partisan one. 

"The auditor's office doesn't have to be necessarily political. People read my book, I was not kind to either Democrats or Republicans in my book," he said. "I will be seen as a check and balance, and I'm hoping professional people, people like CPA's, people that are attorney's, people who think that we need a professional auditor in there, who will look at whatever is going on and put the taxpayer first over party will be the best choice."

While the auditor is required to audit local counties and cities, Tobe says if elected he wants to use those audits as more of a consultative role, and instead focus on weeding out waste and corruption in bigger departments such as the Department of Fish & Wildlife, or Department of Education. 

Tobe says he will be a steward for the taxpayers, and not for the governor. 

"I envision either a Democrat or a Republican governor not being happy with me at certain times," he said. "It's not my job to make them happy , it's my job to work for taxpayers." 

Tobe says his main goal, is sniffing out corruption.

"Everyone says they are going to be a watchdog, I'm going to be more like a bulldog here going after this corruption," he said. "Kentucky has been ranked the most corrupt state in the United States by several studies, Harvard and Illinois State, we have got to change that culture of corruption." 

Another thing that sets him apart Tobe says, is he doesn't have aspirations for another office. 

"I think it clouds your judgement, I don't have to worry about upsetting someone who might be a donor to me in the future," he said. "All I'm going to focus on, is the taxpayers as auditors. I think that's the best way." 

Chris Tobe is running against Kelsey Hayes Coots and Sheri Donahue in the Democratic primary.