Race for state auditor gets another DFL candidate

A second Democrat has joined the 2018 race for state auditor.

Jack Dickinson, a small business owner from Minneapolis, announced Tuesday that he’s seeking the DFL endorsement and will abide by the result. The first-time candidate plans a formal campaign kick-off on Saturday.

Dickinson said he opposes Republican-backed efforts to reduce the state auditor’s responsibilities by allowing local officials to bypass the office and hire private-sector accountants.

“I think it’s really a mistake to change that,” Dickinson said.

But Dickinson said the change could also be an opportunity for the state auditor’s office to take on new responsibilities. He said he wants to highlight cases of economic inequality.

“We need to call out those things, let the people know about those and make sure that they are holding their lawmakers accountable for some of those policies that may not be working for everyone,” he said

Dickinson joins Jon Tollefson as announced DFL candidates in the open contest. They’re trying to replace DFL State Auditor Rebecca Otto, who is running for governor next year. So far, no Republican candidates have entered the race.

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