Our View: Our House 44 GOP race pick: Bobby Olszewski.

This is an off year for state elections in Florida, but House District 44 is an exception. Former Rep. Eric Eisnaugle, a Republican, resigned from the district’s seat in May after he was appointed by Gov. Rick Scott to sit on the Fifth District Court of Appeal. Four Republicans have entered the race to be the party’s nominee to succeed him. The winner of the Aug. 15 primary will face the lone Democrat in the race, Paul Chandler, in a general election scheduled for Oct. 10.

District 44 covers southwest Orange County, roughly bounded on the north and east by Florida’s Turnpike. It includes the communities of Lake Buena Vista, Windermere, Dr. Phillips, Oakland — and Winter Garden, where the best choice in this race for Republican voters, Bobby Olszewski, was twice elected to the City Commission.

In a recent forum co-sponsored by Business Force and the Tiger Bay Club of Central Florida, Olszewski and the other GOP candidates largely saw eye-to-eye on conservative principles such as reducing taxes, cutting regulations on businesses and expanding school choice. All could boast of impressive professional accomplishments. However, one of the candidates, Dr. Usha Jain, lacked the depth on issues to be considered a serious contender for the job.

We give Olszewski the nod over the other two candidates, John Newstreet and Bruno Portigliatti, because of his particular public service and his pragmatic campaign platform.

Olszewski would be taking a seat in the House when home rule — the principle that local leaders are in the best position to set local policy — is under siege in the state Capitol. The Legislature has systematically stripped county and city officials of their authority to pass local ordinances in a growing list of areas.

Olszewski runs a management consulting group, teaches business courses as an adjunct professor and has served numerous civic and community organizations. But as a former city commissioner, he especially understands the importance of home rule. That, along with his deep roots in the district, might explain why he’s earned endorsements from a long list of current and former local officials throughout District 44, including Windermere Mayor Gary Bruhn, the president of the Florida League of Mayors and an outspoken advocate for protecting home rule.

A review of campaign websites adds to the case for Olszewski over the other two candidates.

Olszewski has wisely sharpened his focus to three priorities: low taxes, policies that broadly promote economic development and improvements in education. These positions, whether one agrees or disagrees with them, are on issues that fall firmly within the bailiwick of state legislators.

Newstreet, the CEO of the Kissimmee-Osceola County Chamber of Commerce, lays out similar priorities. However, he also includes fighting illegal immigration, which is a federal responsibility. He declares his support for “judges who apply the law, not legislate from the bench,” which is up to voters and the governor, not legislators. And he signals his opposition to abortion, a constitutional right since 1973. Too many times in recent years, legislators have engaged in divisive, distracting battles to pass legally dubious measures on issues like these while shortchanging their core responsibilities — like completing a budget on time.

Portigliatti, a lawyer and businessman, lists low taxes and education among his top priorities, along with transportation, another good one for a legislator. But he also includes protecting “Judeo-Christian values,” opposing abortion, protecting gun rights — “most gun laws are an infringement on the individual’s right to bears arms” — and securing the nation’s borders. Again, these are detours for legislators in fulfilling their responsibilities.

The Sentinel endorses Bobby Olszewski in the Republican primary for Florida House District 44.