I like Eliot Cutler. I have no doubt that if he could win this election, he would be a very good governor. I like his confidence in Maine people, his tenacity during this campaign, his belief in the power of big ideas and his vision of Maine’s potential. I wish him well over the next few days, knowing they will not be easy.

As he said in his press conference on Wednesday, Cutler is also a realist. He knows that he isn’t going to win. So does Angus King and many other former Cutler supporters. That makes Cutler supporters the one group of voters that can tip the balance toward either Mike Michaud or Paul LePage. They have the power to help move the state in a new direction, and a responsibility to look beyond this campaign to the months and years ahead.

A lot of people who I respect and admire have been supporting Cutler, and this is not the column that I wanted to write in the last week of this campaign for governor. But at some point, we all have to face the reality of where this election stands and what a vote for Cutler — no matter how much you like him — will mean.

Throughout his campaign, Cutler has urged his supporters to support someone else if he couldn’t win. He did it again on Wednesday. Now the time has come for every Cutler supporter to take an honest and dispassionate look at whether Cutler has a realistic chance of winning and, if not, to do what is best for Maine, which is to support Michaud.

Here’s what we know about Cutler’s chances:

At this point in 2010, the Democratic candidate had been in a free-fall for weeks, and Cutler was in second place and gaining. There was a palpable buzz around the state, in breakfast shops and grocery stores, and his campaign was surging. That is not what is happening right this time. Nearly every poll, including two since Sunday, shows a dead heat between Michaud and LePage, at around 40 percent, while Cutler’s numbers are flat or declining.

In the face of those realities, some Cutler supporters have argued that Cutler can do slightly better than Michaud in a two-way race. But this isn’t a two-way race, and it never will be. The ballots were long ago printed and distributed. As many as 15 percent of likely voters already have voted, with an edge for Democrats over Republicans. Next Tuesday, there will be three names on the ballot. The only question to be decided is whether Michaud or LePage will be inaugurated in January.

At some point, the greater good has to become everyone’s first consideration, and that point is now. This is not the time for a protest vote expressing dissatisfaction with the two parties. There is simply too much at stake for Maine for us to risk four more years of LePage gridlock, party-first politics, turmoil and embarrassment. That’s a price that none of us should be willing to pay.

Cutler has shown a lot of courage by running for governor and putting his ideas before the voters without the resources of a political party. Now his supporters need to call upon a similar courage to use the power they have, at this particular moment in Maine’s history, to help move the state in a new direction.

For me the choice is clear. I’m supporting Michaud, and I’ll do that enthusiastically.

Political campaigns always exaggerate the differences between candidates, but Cutler and Michaud have much in common. Both of their plans are remarkably similar on issues related to the next economy, the role of government in supporting that economy, education, the environment and critical social issues. Cutler and Michaud certainly have different leadership styles, but both styles can and do work effectively around the country.

Here’s what I see in Michaud that gives me confidence. He’s a consensus builder and a listener who looks for the best ideas, with an eye to how to bring those ideas to life. He has a good and decent heart. I am convinced that he’ll surround himself with Maine’s best available talent. And I believe that he’ll bring confidence, collaboration, good will and respect back to the office of governor.

Michaud needs and deserves your support. Without it, he could lose this election. With it, he’ll win, and the lives of thousands of Mainers will be better because of it.

Alan Caron, a Waterville native, is a partner in the Caron and Egan consulting group, which is active in growing Maine’s next economy. Email at alancaroninmaine@gmail.com.

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