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The leading candidates for North Carolina's top political offices surprisingly agree on one of the hottest topics of the campaign season.

And they all could be wrong.

Democrat Beverly Perdue and Republican Pat McCrory, running for governor; and Republican Elizabeth Dole and Democrat Kay Hagan, vying for the U.S. Senate, all support steps that could lead to oil and natural gas drilling off the state's coast.

Perdue, Dole and Hagan have changed their views in recent months. All voiced strong opposition to the prospect but turned around -- in response to high energy costs or to conform to public opinion, take your pick.

Congress is moving the same way. After a long moratorium, lawmakers this week are likely to expand opportunities for offshore drilling, putting North Carolina in play. The most popular proposal would let states make the decision regarding drilling in waters 50 to 100 miles off their beaches.

Dole and Hagan endorse that plan. Not content to be agreeable, though, they've attacked each other on charges of financial entanglements with the oil industry -- not a helpful discourse for voters who can't relate to the investment strategies of wealthy politicians.

McCrory pushes the most aggressive pro-drilling position, predicting economic benefits for the state, and endlessly scolds Perdue for her lack of similar clarity. She says, as governor, she'd listen to advice from scientists before deciding whether it's safe to allow drilling in waters off North Carolina's coast, which she invariably refers to as "the Graveyard of the Atlantic." If he's governor, McCrory should heed expert counsel, as well, to ensure he makes an informed decision.

Another voice

The only candidate for governor not mindful of public opinion is Libertarian Mike Munger, a Duke University economics professor. He calls the offshore drilling issue a "gimmick" that won't impact oil prices and says resources should be applied to the development of alternative energy.

Munger, with nothing to lose politically, is the candidate delivering straight talk about drilling.

It's not a gimmick, however, that tens of billions of barrels of oil lie untapped beneath U.S. coastal waters. Vast amounts of natural gas remain to be exploited. Extraction becomes more economically feasible as world prices climb. This year's debate was fueled when gasoline topped $4 a gallon at the pump.

Costs and benefits

McCrory argues that oil and natural gas exploration would spawn a lucrative new industry in coastal counties from Day 1. Revenue from leases would flow straight to state government, funding road projects and other needs. And thousands of private-sector jobs would be gained.

Adding to the nation's energy supplies also would hold down prices, reduce dependence on foreign sources and give the country more time to develop affordable new energy technologies, proponents say. How much is debatable.

Costs can't be discounted. The apparatus of the oil industry, including refineries and pipelines, isn't compatible with the North Carolina coast. Possible environmental damage must be carefully assessed. So should the potential impact on fishing and tourism, two traditional economic mainstays. What's the gain if $1 in oil or gas revenue replaces $2 in income from other sources? And there are still unknowns, including the extent of protected deep-sea coral formations off our coast that could limit areas open to drilling.

Priority on alternatives

Candidates and policymakers should level with the public about all the contingencies surrounding a complex subject. Anyone who answers the drilling question yes or no hasn't thought about it enough. Better responses should begin with "Yes, if ..." or "No, unless ... ."

Then, subsequent conversation should include a listing of other ideas for meeting North Carolina's and the nation's energy needs. Conservation, efficiency, solar, wind, biofuels, nuclear, clean coal and other sources all should be part of the mix for the short or long term.

None of the candidates is staking everything on offshore drilling, fortunately, although they sometimes give that impression by venting so much steam about it.

Now it's time for them to shift their focus to the energy issues that are more likely to power North Carolina's future. Sell the voters on new ideas. That's the test of leadership.