Christopher "Chris" Traeger is a state auditor who comes into Pawnee with Ben Wyatt to evaluate the town's funds at the end of the second season. Chris Traeger is very cheerful and energetic, usually leaving the hard truths to Ben Wyatt. Parks and Recreation co-star Adam Scott described the character as, "It's like Sam Seaborn, just on speed and less smart," a reference to the character Sam Seaborn that Rob Lowe played on the TV series The West Wing.