Democrats need to make education the state’s No. 1 priority, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bob Etheridge told the Buncombe County Democratic Party on March 31.

He called education “the foundation” for the Democrats’ hopes for taking back the state legislature.

About 75 people attended a dinner — of spaghetti, meatballs and banana pudding — at the BCDP’s headquarters on Old Fiarview Road.

Etheridge is one of six Democrats seeking his party’s nomination to run for governor in November. The primary election will be held May 8.

In stressing the importance of education, he was de-facto criticizing education budget cuts made by the Republican-dominated state legislature.

Besides cutting teachers and increasing classroom sizes, Etheridge noted that tuition and fees continue to rise at colleges and universities.

“If we want 21st century jobs, we have to invest in 21st century education,” he said.

Ultimately, he said the cutbacks could damage the state’s reputation and result in a competitive disadvantage for students.

The candidatee said he would seek to make education the state’s top funding priority.

Etheridge is slightly leading his competitors, according to a recent Public Policy Polling poll.