Former Spokane Mayor Jim West’s premature death at 55 brings a poignant end to a political career best described as driven.

That’s not a bad thing if you believe in the American political system as West did. For nearly 30 years, he lived out that belief.

At the end, sadly, his political dedication was overshadowed by scandal. The saga of his using the Internet to troll for young men as sex partners was steady news for much of 2005, further darkened by disturbing allegations that he had molested young boys during his days as a Scout leader and sheriff’s deputy. His Internet messages offering gifts and City Hall positions were uncharacteristically indiscreet, especially his use of a city computer in the process, but his insistence on fighting for survival to the end was consistent with his style as a political battler.

He lost that contest when voters rejected him in last fall’s recall election. And early Saturday, he lost a more serious contest with cancer.

If it weren’t for the final episode of his life, West would now be remembered mostly for the things he did in a life of civic engagement, not that he would have escaped controversy.

There are a couple of ways to gauge a political record, however.

You can measure it on an ideological scale, agreeing or disagreeing with positions taken, ideologies embraced. Following that approach, conservative Republicans will judge West favorably but liberal Democrats won’t. Those who care about gay rights will brand his legislative votes hypocritical.

The other approach is to assess a person’s commitment to the principles of representative government. Did he stand up for what he believed? Did he advocate solutions he thought would serve the public? Did he back his rhetoric with action?

In that light, even critics must concede the example West set, not just in his successes but also in his failures.

West first ran for office in a blatantly futile contest for Spokane County sheriff in 1978. His opponents included a well-known police detective and the handpicked successor of a popular and veteran Democratic sheriff. West never had a chance.

A lot of would-be politicians have called it quits after such an experience, but West forged ahead. He took a Republican staff job with the House of Representatives, building political experience and connections. At 28, he won a nonpartisan City Council seat. He was elected to the House and later to the Senate where he climbed the leadership ladder to become Senate majority leader.

Along the way, though, he also lost a race for lieutenant governor and another for mayor. Those defeats didn’t deter him, and when he finally was elected mayor, he brought a measure of leadership that won accolades from many, including some previous critics. He instituted a methodical budget approach, got a road bond passed and restored civility to a harshly contentious City Hall.

His eventual downfall, befitting a Greek tragedy, tarnished West’s personal image and public legacy. That can’t be ignored, nor can his admirable belief in politics as a worthy calling.