Wanted: executive ability

It’s more important than ever in the nation’s state house races | Mindy Belz

Associated Press/Photo by Phil Coale

"Executive ability is prominent in your makeup," reads a fortune cookie proverb prized at my house, where, as another saying goes, we have many chiefs and few Indians.

Executive ability is prized no less in our selection of Chief Executive. Four of our last five presidents were governors—a recognition that the management skills learned and practiced in the state house can be an important prerequisite to serving in the White House. So it is notable that in this election year, 37 governorships are up for grabs. This record level of potential state-house turnover comes on the political eve of what may be a contentious 2012 presidential election—when at least one party will be looking hard at which successful governor could lead a nation. And it comes at a time when, thanks to the restructuring brought about by the financial panic of 2008 and its aftermath, which includes significant drops in state revenues and substantial increases in federal authority, the very nature of governing any state in our union is changing.