Bowles for governor

If Democrats in North Carolina hope to hold on to the governorship in 2012, they need to get behind a moderate, pragmatic candidate whose commitment to this state transcends party lines. Erskine Bowles fits the bill.

Unlike most Republicans — and many Democrats, for that matter — Bowles understands that fiscal responsibility and excellent public education don’t have to be incompatible.

Bowles’ past jobs have provided him with an understanding of both the business of balancing budgets and the importance of public education.

As co-chairs of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, Bowles, a Democrat, and Republican Alan Simpson co-authored a document that laid out concrete, feasible ways to reduce our national debt.

Before this, as UNC-system president, Bowles avoided catastrophe as he steered the system through the early stages of the 2008 financial crisis.

Of course, Bowles is not the only North Carolinian qualified to run. And he hasn’t even hinted at intentions to do so. But he says he hasn’t ruled it out, and we hope he gives it serious consideration.

Bowles’ extensive experience working on behalf of the state and in the service of the University make him the best person to carry on Gov. Bev Perdue’s campaign to protect education in North Carolina.

Bowles knows this state and UNC well. Having grown up in Greensboro, the son of a former gubernatorial candidate himself, Bowles went on to graduate from UNC in 1967 with a degree in business.

Bowles also brings unparalleled economic, budget-balancing savvy to the table. After serving for two years as chief of staff for Bill Clinton — the last administration to successfully balance a budget — he took his economic skills to Washington in 2010 to lead the Obama administration’s National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform.

Most importantly, Bowles’ moderate views can help re-stitch North Carolina’s torn political fabric. Recent years of extremism on both sides, from the Tea Party to Occupy Wall Street, have done a number on our state, and we need someone like Bowles to bring us back together.

And, according to a Public Policy Polling metric from this month, Bowles has the best chance of defeating Republican frontrunner Pat McCrory, who announced his candidacy Tuesday.

Aside from being a popular former mayor of Charlotte, McCrory has a powerful platform simply by virtue of having run and lost to Perdue in 2008, whose term was more notable for partisan warring than policy-making.

But in the Public Policy Poll, Bowles trailed McCrory by only five points among independents. If anyone could rally the state around education in 2012, he’s the one. And a fresh face like Bowles could spur unforeseen voter turnout.

Voters must also remember the importance of healthy competition. Neither Democrats nor Republicans would benefit from an uncompetitive race. At the very least, a candidate as smart as Bowles will keep everyone on their toes.

In explaining her decision not to seek a second term, Perdue cited a desire to focus on education rather than re-election. With every public university in the state facing tuition hikes, students at UNC should welcome Perdue’s renewed resolve to ensure that schools are not, as she put it, “the victims of short-sighted legislative actions and severe budget cuts.”

Bowles is an ideal person to pick up where Perdue left off. Where she faltered, Bowles could use his moderate political leanings and likability to garner support for broad bipartisan legislation. This is the kind of leadership that will right our budgetary woes and make sure education remains a priority.