With a vacancy looming for one of the state’s top posts, Gov. John Hickenlooper has nominated health care executive Donna Lynne to be his lieutenant governor.

The Colorado Statesman supports the nomination and urges a “yes” vote for her confirmation.

An extensive review of her qualifications yields a portrait of a respected businesswoman and experienced civil servant who knows how to get things accomplished in government.

Lynne’s depth of experience in the managed-care health industry would be uniquely beneficial to the state as it prepares for the challenges of the full implementation and ramifications of the Affordable Care Act and perhaps even the onset of Colorado Care, should Amendment 69 pass at the ballot box this fall.

Her government know-how also makes her uniquely qualified for a state going through change. Prior to life in the private sector, as a top deputy in Republican Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s office, Lynne served New York City during some of the city’s toughest years on record. As director of operations for the largest municipality in the United States, Lynne was part of a team that took the city from a panhandler’s paradise to a shining city where people felt safe again. In short, she left the region better than she found it.

In bipartisan fashion, she not only directed operations for Mayor Giuliani but also presided over contract negotiations as the director of labor relations for Mayor Ed Koch, Giuliani’s Democratic predecessor.

After moving west, Lynne quickly adapted to Colorado life and became an admired figure in the nonprofit community, assembling a copious number of awards and commendations.

To be clear, The Statesman has reservations about Lynne’s wholehearted embrace of government-run health care systems, particularly on the heels of serious questions being raised by the Legislative Audit Committee over the seeming financial woes and the ambiguous long-term sustainability of the Colorado health care exchange. Conservatives would also find room for concern over whether Lynne would participate with a thoughtful and moderate approach toward the Taxpayer Bill of Rights and school finance issues or would she step up with a far more liberal-progressive mindset, due to her past support for tax increases in those departments.

We believe there is an inherent danger in the belief that government solutions are a magic pill for every social ailment. We certainly do not believe that Colorado taxpayers should be on the hook for increases in school funding, public health or other endeavors without always first looking for areas of cost savings through the utilization of fiscal discipline and restraint.

However, we wish to give Lynne the opportunity to dazzle us the same way she did the Big Apple. And we will judge her fairly on those merits.

As for her future in Colorado politics, we can say with confidence that if Lynne were to someday run for governor — she has said she isn’t interested — or if and when a situation arises where she must fill Gov. Hickenlooper’s vacancy, she will be under the spotlight once again based upon her established record as lieutenant governor.

We believe Lynne’s government experience, successful management of thousands of employees and multi-million dollar budgets, and her heart for the community make her the right person, at the right time, to serve our state’s unique needs.

With cautious optimism, we support Donna Lynne to become Colorado’s next lieutenant governor. We wish her the best of luck in making history as a wise and thoughtful moderate voice and master collaborator who brings people around the table together in civility when such a concept is too often lacking in state, national and world politics.