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Born and raised in Elkin, Steven L. Royal, 61, is a candidate for the N.C. Treasurer’s office.

A Republican, Royal calls himself a “reformer.”

Royal has worked as a certified public accountant in Elkin since the late 1980s and currently has an office on Oakland Avenue. He is married to Svetlana, a vocal teacher in Elkin. They have four grown children.

Royal will face opposition from fellow Republican Frank Roche in the primary, which will be held oMay 8. Democrats Roger Elmer and Janet Cowell, the incumbent, will run against each other in the primary on May 8.

Royal explained that he decided to run for this particular office when he learned that North Carolina’s unemployment fund was running a deficit – a growing, large deficit to the tune of 25 million dollars a week, according to Royal.

Royal said that no one has done anything about it, or tried to solve the problem, and he became “a little bit angry about it,” he said.

Although he has never held an elective office, Royal ran 22 years ago for Congress. Royal holds a degree in business and accounting from Appalachian State University, and has eight years in the National Guard.

Royal explained that his campaign focuses on talking about economic and financial issues as opposed to discussing social issues.

“It bothers me every year that people who actually work for a living, who earn money, earned income, are taxed at a very high rate, so the very rich, who aren’t really ‘earning’ the money, pay at a lower rate. It sounds like I’m from the left, but it’s not to me, it’s just common sense,” Royal said.

Royal said that he is running as a reformer because as manager of the state’s money, the N.C. Treasurer’s office needs to have total transparency and answer to the citizens of North Carolina.

“Twelve years of keeping the citizens and retirees in the dark is long enough,” Royal said.

If elected, Royal says he plans to get the state of affairs in shape and serve only one term in office.

“I am running as basically a reformer, so if you really are a reformer you’ve got to walk and talk it,” Royal said.

Currently Royal is in the process of campaigning. However, people will not see his signs on the road, hear him on the radio, or see him on television.

“I’m just networking with like-minded people,” Royal said.