The best way for the Republicans to defeat an extremely popular Democratic candidate for governor while preventing an independent from draining away votes is to choose a well-spoken business person with legislative experience and appeal well beyond the party. That person is Peter Cianchette, who as a state lawmaker and business owner has shown a strong grasp of the issues confronting Maine.

Mr. Cianchette has worked in large businesses – his family’s, Cianbro Corp., and Dragon Products Co. – and has created his own, Cianchette Enterprises and Initial Staffing Services. His work on the legislative Committee on Taxation and the Economic Development further sharpened his sense of how Maine’s tax and regulatory systems

hinder the kinds of development that is popularly supported statewide. He points to the recent recommendations in a new report by the Institute for a Strong Maine Economy as matching his priorities.

Those priorities are to reduce Maine’s taxes, restructure the tax system to encourage investment, support more cooperation among local and regional government, limit government growth and promote lifelong learning. Not many people are opposed to lower taxes and more efficient government, so the recommendations themselves are less interesting than how a political leader would apply them.

Mr. Cianchette is articulate and affable and can describe what’s wrong in Maine, but as the race progresses, that will not be enough. To date, his proposed solutions have been heavier on generalities than on how the solutions would translate into policy. For instance, he says he would submit a budget that limited overall state spending to 50 percent of the growth in personal income, which could well mean cutting programs, but doesn’t say where he would cut. And he wants to save money in K-12 education by “utilizing local, regional and state-wide partnerships designed to enhance efficiencies,” which could mean a broad overhaul of education or not much at all. He is more specific on his excellent proposal to establish enterprise zones – which would include tax relief, quick turnaround on permits, priority access to training initiatives. And there is little question that he is capable of producing more answers of greater depth as the race continues.

His very capable opponent, Jim Libby, is a Buxton school teacher and former state senator and is running a better race than many Republicans have been willing to admit. A leader during his time in Augusta and the state’s first gubernatorial Clean Elections candidate,

Mr. Libby talks in specifics. But he is a more conservative and a less forceful speaker than his opponent, which could limit his appeal in a general election. He favors greater deregulation of hospitals as a way to reduce health costs and in discussing education emphasizes a “return to basics, better discipline, smaller schools and less state bureaucracy.” He would privatize parts of the Department of Human Services. On the other hand, he has a great idea for making Maine more attractive by building covered bridges.

Republicans are fortunate to have two solid candidates. But Mr. Cianchette is the better choice to put the party back in the Blaine House next year.