By not endorsing for Maine governor, we show our consensus, not our cop-out.

The Sun Journal will not endorse a candidate for governor of Maine this year.

It’s not for lack of trying discussion.

Since early September, the candidates for Maine’s highest office took time to visit our offices, discuss their vision for the state, and tolerate our incessant questioning. All but one – an oversight squarely on this forgetful editorial writer – proudly had their portrait taken with the goldfish we named after them.

The candidates – in no particular order – informed, impressed, angered, irritated, surprised and entertained us. Each has qualities to make them able governors, and each made compelling arguments about why they are the incumbent, partied challenger or independent candidate for the job.

One contender even returned to downtown Lewiston with a band of campaign rogues to distribute tiny packages of Pepperidge Farm goldfish to passers-by. In short, the 2006 slate of candidates for Maine governor did everything possible to influence our decision.

The governor’s race, we decided early, would have our full attention as the lone election, besides the Taxpayer Bill of Rights, in which we would endorse. We felt duty-bound to reveal the findings of our diligent investigation to our readers, who we hope have come to trust our judgment.

And until Wednesday evening at 6, we were decided. The latest campaign news, political rumblings of an “October Surprise,” regardless, shook our confidence to the core, as the basis of our enthusiastic endorsement crumbled under the weight of the revelations.

So, with hats firmly in hands, we cannot, in good conscience, endorse any of the five candidates for governor. This could be interpreted as a cowardly cop-out by a lily-livered editorial board unable to make the difficult decision. If this were a cowboy town, we’d might be called “yellah.”

Trust us, it’s not. We don’t like this at all, but in our defense, we need to reinforce why newspapers make endorsements in the first place. Endorsements, in their purest forms, are informed opinions on proper courses of action. They are neither bestowed, awarded, traded or given away.

Endorsements are earned.

While Gov. John Baldacci has made strong efforts toward improving Maine, his long-term solutions have done little to appease short-term taxpayer concerns. Dirigo Health, LD 1 and investment in higher education are laudable attempts hampered by Maine’s tortuous taxation and spending environment.

Perhaps his greatest achievement came early in his administration, when he executed a nifty squeeze on state government to patch a $1.1 billion budget crack. At that time, he appeared to have the fortitude to make tough spending decisions, but in subsequent years – highlighted by miscues like the egregious Medicaid billing fiasco – it seems his courage has eroded.

Rep. Barbara Merrill, Pat LaMarche and yes, Phillip NaPier (Thu People’s Hero!) ran spirited campaigns and proved the shell of partisan politics is easily broken by upstarts with strong beaks. One view we can endorse is the hope that future races feature such a strong, and eclectic, independent slate.

Which brings us to Sen. Chandler Woodock, whose personal tax difficulties dynamited our spirited support.

One may argue Woodcock’s liens connect the plain-spoken Farmington senator with the average Mainer’s experience with brutish taxes. Yet walking miles in our moccasins doesn’t always make for good governance, and while many may struggle with taxes, only one is running for governor.

To use an overwrought political cliché, we couldn’t support someone wishing to put Maine’s “fiscal house in order,” who has struggled to bring order to his own.

Despite our myriad descriptors of the candidates – informing, irritating, etc. – one word is markedly missing: inspiring. As much as we enjoyed the candidates’ company, none made us confident enough to earn our endorsement to lead Maine through the end of this decade.