These are undated photos of former Assemblyman Tony Strickland, left, provided by Strickland for Controller, and John Chiang, provided by John Chiang for State Controller. Californians electing a new controller in November will choose between an unknown technocrat and an ambitious political insider to be responsible for monitoring the state’s finances. Chiang, a Democrat, is hoping to succeed failed gubernatorial candidate Steve Westly as controller by running on his expertise as a tax law specialist and his experience sitting on the State Board of Equalization and the Franchise Tax Board, two agencies closely linked with the controller’s office. By contrast, Strickland, a Republican former state assemblyman with close ties to conservative hero Tom McClintock–himself a candidate for lieutenant governor–is campaigning as an ideological purist committed to rooting out wasteful government spending. (AP Photo/Photos provided by the campaigns) ** NO SALES **