Guest Editorial: Adam Jennings - A Well‑Run Watchdog: Why Management Matters in the Auditor’s Office
This Job Is About Management, Not Headlines. Let’s put a professional in the watchdog role.
*BNB Note: The guest editorial below was written by Adam Jennings, DFL candidate for Minnesota State Auditor*
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Most Minnesotans probably don’t think about the State Auditor’s office very often. It doesn’t come with splashy headlines, viral soundbites, or culture war theatrics. Here’s the thing: it might be the most important office for keeping local government honest, efficient, and working for the people. And in a political moment where trust in state and local government is under constant attack from our federal government, that mission couldn’t be more urgent.
I’m Adam Jennings. I’m a dad, a veteran, a small business owner, and the mayor of Tonka Bay. I’m a DFL labor-endorsed candidate running for State Auditor because this office needs a workhorse, not a show horse — and we need someone who knows what it takes to manage billions of dollars and hold people accountable without turning it into a partisan circus.
This Job Is About Management, Not Headlines
The State Auditor oversees over $60 billion in local public spending — the budgets of our cities, counties, townships, and school districts. This isn’t theoretical money. It’s the road plowed in January, the fire truck that shows up when you call 911, the pension check for the public employee who taught your kids or kept your streets safe.
This isn’t a job for someone who just wants a platform. It’s a job for someone who knows how to build teams, evaluate risk, allocate resources, manage talent, and drive accountability.
There are more than 3,500 entities under the Auditor’s purview — many of them small towns with tight budgets and limited staff. Being the Mayor of a town of 1,500 people, I understand all too well the dearth of municipal accountants in the marketplace right now. In some cases communities are relying on volunteers or part-time clerks to make sense of increasingly complex financial reporting requirements. That’s what most of Minnesota’s local governments face, and that’s why they deserve an Auditor who understands their world.
Before public service, I worked in the private sector overseeing more than $9 billion in assets. I know what a good audit looks like. I know what strong internal controls should be. I’ve led teams of people who were, themselves, leading others — and I understand the chain of command, how to listen before acting, and how to create a culture of transparency and respect.
That’s what leadership looks like.
As I have traveled all across the state so far in this campaign, putting 11,000 miles on my truck, I have been asked about what I would want to do in the Auditor’s Office:
Rebuild capacity. Right now, the Office of the State Auditor (OSA) is still reeling from the Pawlenty administration’s slash and burn and privatization approach with only about 90 employees who are tasked with overseeing thousands of entities. That’s a crisis. We need to restore staffing levels to at least the recommended 135, recruit new talent, and retain experienced professionals through strong benefits and flexibility. That’s just good management.
Decrease the burden on small communities . We shouldn’t keep asking small towns with a limited tax base to navigate reporting processes without help. I’ll work with the legislature to fund small communities across the State to provide auditing services at low or no cost to them.
Target risk smartly. Not every audit needs the same intensity. As a manager, you prioritize. You identify high-risk areas — like misuse of credit cards, gift cards, or grant funds — and focus your limited resources there. It’s how quality control works in any high-functioning organization.
Lead with integrity, not ideology. If a city calls with a good faith question about their finances, our team will be there to help — not to shame. Most of the time, when something doesn’t add up, it’s a mistake, not a scandal. As the saying goes, “if you hear hoofbeats, think horses, not zebras.” But when fraud or abuse does show up? We will deal with it — swiftly, transparently, and to the fullest extent of the law. Because at the end of the day, we can’t rebuild public trust if we’re not serious about rooting out corruption.
And let’s not mince words: Republicans are going to hammer on fraud this cycle. Even more so than usual. The difference is, I know what I’m talking about — I’ve actually managed multi-billion-dollar budgets in the private sector and run a city where every nickel counts. I know how to spot the red flags and separate fact from fearmongering.
You Don’t Need a Crusader. You Need a Competent Executive.
Too often, we treat down-ballot races like stepping stones or sidelines. But if we want our government to work, really work, we need seasoned managers in these roles, not someone who needs on the job training. The Auditor’s job is to keep the trains running on time, and to blow the whistle when they’re not. That takes calm, competent, hands-on leadership.
I’m not running for Auditor to score points or make headlines. I’m running to lead an essential office — one that protects public funds, strengthens local government, and can continue the stewardship of this office.
Let’s put a professional in the watchdog role.
I’m Adam Jennings, and I’m ready to manage.