[8] A controversy emerged in May 1935 after Price dismissed Ralph Buckingham, a bookkeeper in the state auditor's office, citing "disloyalty".

[10] Buckingham and other former employees later continued the allegations, writing that Price "has already fired two people for supporting Mr. White in his present race for auditor".

[24] The move was met with backlash from Mississippi taxpayers,[25] and Craig later recommended reducing the tax rate back to four mills after reporting a state surplus in July 1937.

[26] A committee of the Mississippi House of Representatives requested in January 1937 that Craig conduct an audit of the records of state land commissioner R. D.

[29] An initial report was delivered to the House committee on May 31,[30] and state land office employees were summoned before a grand jury two days later, due to alleged violations found by the audit.

[36] The issue of commercial truck permits in Mississippi led to a public rift later that month, in which Time published opposing letters from White and Craig, who defended the arrest of a trucker who failed to purchase a permit, and lieutenant governor Jacob Buehler Snider, who slammed the fines and simultaneously announced his candidacy for governor in 1939.

[37][38] In response to criticism of the fine from adjoining states, Craig invited highway transportation officials from Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Tennessee to a conference to discuss a reciprocal agreement.

[56] The race also included Mississippi Public Service Commission chairman Dillard W. Brown,[57] who alleged that Craig and Gully were guilty of nepotism by giving jobs to each other's children.

[61] In June 1940, Craig sued hundreds of Mississippi contractors, alleging millions of dollars in unpaid taxes in preceding years.

[64] In August 1940, he spoke at a series of state house hearings, led by Speaker Sam Lumpkin, on potential reforms for reducing inequities in Mississippi's tax structure.

[65][66] During his first term, Craig also asked Mississippi lawmakers to pass legislation that would result in the entire state tax collector's office being paid on a "straight salary basis", rather than by commission.

[67] Craig launched several lawsuits in 1940 seeking payments allegedly owed by four road construction companies[68] and over 100 individual highway contractors.

[71] A circuit court judge ruled against Craig in December 1940, finding that he lacked the authority to initiate the proceedings and that any lawsuits should have been brought by the chairman of the state tax commission instead.

[75] Craig's intention to run for a second term as state tax collector was reported by the McComb Daily Journal in January 1943.

[77] During his re-election campaign, Craig pointed to his record of collecting over $60,000 in taxes from New York banks, and emphasized that he received a flat salary, rather than a commission.

[86] It was settled when Muse, who had been charged by a grand jury for illegal possession of liquor, agreed to pay the taxes owed, plus state and county penalties.

"[91] Craig's report was also harshly criticized by Mississippi State Bar Association president Earl L. Wingo, who called it "nothing more than cheap propaganda created in the hope of continuing this inconsistent, nefarious, and absurd law", and argued that the whiskey business had expanded, not declined, since the passage of the tax.

[96] E. J. Matranga, a foot specialist from Jackson, entered the race on May 31, 1947, with a tongue-in-cheek statement: Our friend, Carl Craig, has been running for public office for so long and so often that I hear he has corns, callouses, and bunions all over his feet.

[104] Craig expressed support for the amendment before the election,[105] though it received opposition from people who were concerned that the change would enable the state auditor to accumulate political power.