Hargrove "Skipper" Bowles Jr. (November 16, 1919 – September 7, 1986) was an American Democratic politician and businessman, based in Greensboro, North Carolina.

[3] Bowles enrolled at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the 1937 fall semester and briefly lived as a roommate of Terry Sanford.

Bowles also led a dance band in which he played the trumpet, served on the university's honor council, and was a staff member of the student humor magazine, The Buccaneer.

[7] In January 1961, Sanford, who had been elected governor of North Carolina, appointed Bowles director of the Department of Conservation and Development.

[8] In that capacity he actively worked to recruit new industries and brought corporate executives on tours in North Carolina to convince them to invest in the state.

[7] Fashioning himself as a progressive centrist, he emphasized his support for expanding the state's community college system and technical education opportunities to strengthen the economy while opposing tax increases.

[21] He was opposed in his bid by Lieutenant Governor Hoyt Patrick Taylor Jr.—the early favorite of Democratic leaders, black dentist Reginald Hawkins, and labor unionist Wilbur Hobby.

Wealthy and an active alumnus of UNC, he had personal financial resources he could devote to his campaign and was familiar with many state business leaders.

[21] While traditional campaigns involving stump speeches and newspaper advertising were still the norm in the state at the time, Bowles used newer techniques to reach voters, placing an emphasis on television commercials.

Aided by consultant Walter DeVries, his campaign used focus groups and survey research to gauge issues which mattered most to the electorate.

[25] He lost the general election to Republican James Holshouser,[26] leading in much of eastern North Carolina but losing the west, the piedmont, and several metropolitan areas.

Lieutenant Governor Jim Hunt, set on launching his own campaign for the Democratic nomination, quickly moved to secure commitments from Bowles' former supporters.