We have said that we’re not impressed with the choices for the next governor of Iowa. We have noted that former governor Terry Branstad seems to be poised to unseat Gov. Chet Culver.

Still, now that it’s time to choose, we think Culver should get the nod.

Branstad has all of the advantages of an outsider, free to criticize everything that hasn’t gone right during the past four years. Culver has given him some material to work with there, including the Iowa Film Office fiasco. However, the state’s overall condition is reassuring, considering what the United States and the rest of the world have gone through.

As one of the most successful politicians in Iowa history, Branstad also has a long track record to offer as proof of his abilities. And yet, he hasn’t been able to make us pine for the good old days.

Branstad has boasted of lowering Iowa’s unemployment rate during his 16-year tour of duty, and that number certainly did trend downward – but so did the national unemployment rate. A governor can’t take much credit for riding the wave.

Branstad has vigorously criticized Culver’s bonding plan, an attack that means nothing when you consider the former governor’s bonding record.

Branstad offers Indiana as a model for getting rid of the Iowa Department of Economic Development. Indiana’s results have been undesirable, so this doesn’t inspire confidence in his judgment.

In short, Branstad hasn’t convinced us that he has much more to offer than cutting taxes for business. A governor needs a larger vision than that.

Culver will never come across as a statesman, and we have our doubts about his hands-on management skills. But whoever gets the credit, Iowa has been ranked as the third-best-managed state. We believe the nation’s economy is recovering. We think Iowa is in a good position to benefit from the trend under its current leadership.