Here is one of the definitions for “placeholder” in the American Heritage online dictionary: “In the decimal form of a number, a digit that is not significant.”

That would also be true if Idaho went with a placeholder replacement for U.S. Sen. Larry Craig for the next 15 months or so. It just wouldn’t add up for Idaho, and it now appears that Gov. Butch Otter agrees with that calculation.

Before changing course late last week, Otter seemed inclined to base his decision on what seemed fairest to potential 2008 candidates. That would’ve been unfair to Idahoans. Otter worried that by choosing a person who might seek the post in 2008, he would be tilting the field in favor of that candidate. But to meet that test, he would have been forced to overlook some of the best choices.

Regardless of the selection, GOP leadership in the U.S. Senate has made it clear that Idaho was going to lose clout on important committees because of Craig’s departure. That’s a tremendous blow for the entire state, but the best way to recover is to name a person who would be interested in remaining beyond 2008. The sooner the appointment is made, the sooner the long process of accumulating seniority begins.

It’s true that the interim choice will have a name-recognition advantage going into the 2008 primary contests, but incumbency, especially on the Republican side, might not carry the cachet it has in the past. An unpopular war and a variety of corruption scandals have led to a number of Republican incumbents choosing to retire when their terms are up. It seems the hangover from the 2006 elections continues.

So, it’s also true that the interim choice could lose the 2008 election, which would have the effect of pressing the reset button on seniority and committee assignments. But naming a placeholder guarantees that the clock wouldn’t begin ticking again for 15 to 18 months.

The state will benefit most from a politician who is widely respected and can competently perform the duties of the office. It doesn’t make sense to eliminate interested parties such as Attorney General Lawrence Wasden or Lt. Gov. Jim Risch. Though ambition is often criticized in politics, it is an essential characteristic of any leader who hopes to rise to positions of power.

There is no avoiding the inevitable grumblings about favoritism once Otter makes his choice, but it looks like the state will be able to steer clear of some of the questionable appointments in other states over the years. When Frank Murkowski left the U.S. Senate to become governor of Alaska, he named his daughter to take his unexpired seat.

Otter is headed down the right path in making an ethical choice based on merit. That’s the best any governor can do to ensure that a state gets significant representation.