Gary Herbert will soon be Utah's governor and is receiving a lot of advice about his next steps and priorities. Here's our counsel, worth every penny of the price:

What should Herbert do in the next 90 days to strengthen his position for 2010 against potential challengers?

Pignanelli: "A politician is an animal who can sit on a fence and yet keep both ears to the ground" — American proverb. It is undisputed that Gary Herbert is a nice guy — always cordial and open. But nice is not a requirement for high political office (i.e. Dick Cheney, Eliot Spitzer). Indeed, one veteran politico GOP summarized the feelings of many colleagues by describing Herbert as a Utah Gomer Pyle: pleasant but capability in doubt. I hope Herbert proves his detractors wrong.

Out of Huntsman's shadow, I believe Herbert possesses the potential to achieve much. He has the experience and drive to succeed yet must act fast to dismantle negative perceptions. Political insiders' opinions usually matter inside Utah's delegate system. He must demonstrate leadership by undertaking tough decisions, taking ownership of difficult issues and re-establishing prominence of the Governor's Office in the power structure. Of course, taking bold actions can anger constituencies and poses risks. By year's end, if Utahns feel that Herbert is in charge, he can survive. Playing it safe keeps the "nice" image alive — and breeds dissatisfaction.

Webb: If Herbert does a great job as governor, politics takes care of itself. He should perform well as a practical, centrist governor who solves problems and gets things done. His priorities should be economic development, budget challenges and education, and he shouldn't worry about overtly proving his conservative credentials.

Herbert is a conservative in the Utah tradition, which is terrific. But some on the right want him to further demonstrate his ideological purity. That would be a mistake. Ideology is important to a small number of activists on the left and right, whose importance is inflated because they make a lot of noise. But the vast majority of Utahns don't care whether their leader passes conservative litmus tests or whether he is conservative or moderate. They want an effective, centrist governor who tackles problems, represents the state well, is disciplined with regard to budgets and taxes, and provides a vision they can follow.

Should Herbert continue or abandon the Huntsman legacy?