The Republican race for the presidency comes to Ohio with the conclusion already written. John McCain will be the party's nominee. This past Tuesday, he acknowledged as much himself, publicly, having swept to victory in Wisconsin. Republicans, here and elsewhere, should be pleased at the turn of events. They have made the smart choice.

Much, rightly, has been made about McCain rising from the political dead. His recovery reflects, in part, the weakness of the Republican field. More decisive has been McCain returning to his strengths, his cranky independence, and his attention to the center of political thought in the country.

That latter trait has infuriated arch conservatives, Ann Coulter proclaiming that she would vote for Hillary Clinton before the Arizona senator. They protest too much. Look at the pillars of conservatism by Ronald Reagan, a strong national defense, an instinct for tax cuts and advocacy of traditional ''social values.'' McCain clearly fits the mold. He has been a stalwart in seeking to fight more effectively the war in Iraq, lambasting Donald Rumsfeld along the way, citing the war against Islamic extremism as the central challenge of our time.

Differ strongly with McCain on that and other matters, as this editorial page does, and still you must admire his instinct first for solving problems, knowing that tough choices and broad coalitions are required. McCain proposed a reasonable and realistic approach to illegal immigration (embraced by President Bush). He took aim at runaway political money, not at the expense of the First Amendment but in the pursuit of greater accountability (and President Bush signed the measure).

McCain chafes at running through ideological hoops, a trait deserving applause. When science made evident the risk of global warming, he followed the informed path. That isn't to neglect his capacity for bobbing and weaving. Hard to reconcile his votes against the Bush tax cuts and his call now to make them permanent. The same goes for his recent vote against legislation defining what is torture. What remains most appealing is his tendency to reject divisiveness driven by sheer expedience.

In that way, Republicans have a candidate who reaches more toward the middle (rather than animating the base). That is where problems are addressed, and where the party can find victory in the fall.