Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger wisely selected Bruce McPherson, a centrist with integrity, to restore calm and confidence in an office that was riven by Shelley's mercurial management style and ethically questionable dealings. McPherson, by all but the most partisan accounts, has restored a level of professionalism to the office.

The Democrats have two primary challengers to McPherson, each a highly capable state senator who is about to be termed out of office.

Sen. Debra Bowen, D-Marina del Rey, and Sen. Deborah Ortiz, D-Sacramento, have both emerged as savvy legislators who are willing to take on difficult issues and powerful interests in Sacramento. It's regrettable that only one will be on the ballot for a statewide office in the general election this November.

Ortiz merits special commendation for her tenacity on behalf of health-care issues. She has emerged as the Legislature's leading watchdog to ensure that the money from the $3 billion stem-cell bond (Proposition 71, passed by voters in 2004) is spent in a way that includes public accountability and a public benefit. She continues to push for a bill that would put California in the forefront of "bio-monitoring" -- tracking the amount of toxics and chemicals that build up in the human body, research that could help solve the mystery of clusters of cancer and other diseases that could be linked to environmental exposure.

One of the costs of term limits is the forced departure of legislators such as Ortiz at the peak of her effectiveness.

But for this office, Bowen is the clear choice in the Democratic primary. In her nearly 14 years in the Capitol, Bowen has demonstrated her commitment to what we believe should be one of the guiding principles of society: An individual's actions should be presumed private, while a government's actions should be presumed public. For example, her bills to help consumers guard against identity theft and block "junk faxes" have set national standards.

As chair of the Senate Elections Committee, Bowen has been a determined advocate of bringing more transparency to the political process -- such as getting lobbying expenses online in a more accessibly way -- and installing more rigorous standards on the use of electronic voting equipment. She has done her homework on technological issues and is ready to make the case that California needs a more aggressive secretary of state to restore public confidence in the electoral process.

Bowen is not one to flinch at a challenge. She entered this race at a time when many top Democrats were reluctant to criticize the scandal-drenched Shelley, who was clinging to office. In her typical straightforward style, Bowen explained, "It became clear we were going to need a new nominee."

She was right. And Sen. Debra Bowen should be that nominee.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2006/04/23/EDGNSGU2SP1.DTL