Cowell's surprise announcement means opportunity for GOP

[caption id="attachment_4878" align="alignleft" width="150"] Janet Cowell[/caption]

by John Wynne, Politics NC, October 13, 2015.

With campaign season comes several surprises. State Treasurer Janet Cowell’s announcement that she’s not seeking reelection next year certainly qualifies as one of them. Cowell, first elected in 2008, was heavily courted by the DSCC to run against Richard Burr, but they failed to convince her. She affirmed her interest in another term as Treasurer just a few months ago and raised a lot of money for someone who was apparently on the fence about reelection.

So, what gives? Occam’s Razor says that Cowell is stepping down because of an enticing new job offer. A couple days ago, Cowell was mentioned as one of the finalists to succeed Tom Ross as UNC system president. We’re just going to have to wait and see. One thing is for sure: she’s not running for higher office.

The open seat race is a ripe opportunity for the GOP to elect their first state treasurer since the 1890s. Two names floating around are former Reps. Dale Folwell and Edgar Starnes, both from the western part of the state who now have administrative jobs. Both would be strong candidates. On the Democratic side, there’s Michael Weisel of Raleigh, campaign finance attorney who played a role in the recent “Drunktown” campaign.

Cowell actually has good relations with the Republican legislature and she’s won praise for maintaining the state’s AAA bond rating. The press release from the North Carolina Republican Party “honoring” her service is about as nice as it gets.

Despite her announcement, don’t expect Cowell to leave public service entirely (she hinted as much in a tweet this morning). Chances are she’ll continue to play a major role on the political scene.