Why send a near-Maiar when you already have a full strength Maiar?
Wizards are like specifically not full strength maiar. They were limited in order to not do too much collateral damage.
Actually Gandalf had his whole strength the entire time, he was just forbidden from using it in front of the Children of Iluvatar. Just like how the kids at my daycare probably think I can't tell colors apart or find anything, he could solve this whole problem by himself but he knows it's better for their development if he lets them try by themselves.
I was about to say that worked out so well with Sauron, sarcastically, but I looked it up and it turns out Sauron was an Ainur which is basically a full power Maiar, or in other words Sauron is the reason the limits were established, lol.
Well, Istari were not full power Maiar, that was kind of the point. Honestly, there may have been some elves from earlier ages that were stronger than some of the wizards.
Glorfindel knew that the time of Elves in Middle Earth was coming to an end and he had already killed a balrog, died, and been resurrected so he passed the torch to Men. Props to him for that
S T R E N G H T
strenght
Monke together stronk.
And my axe make stank
