Four candidates make pitches to be state's top lawyer

By Beth Kaiman
Seattle Times staff reporter

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As the candidates for state attorney general shake hands and hold babies, each promises to offer wise counsel to state government, protect consumers and advocate for law enforcement.

Omitted from the pitch is that whoever wins the November election wins a statewide bully pulpit with occasional national profile. Democrat Christine Gregoire, now running for governor, won visibility by negotiating the multibillion-dollar Hanford cleanup and the nationwide settlement with the tobacco industry.

Rob McKenna Republican Age: 41. Background: Elected to Metropolitan King County Council in 1995, 1999, 2003. Previously, lawyer in private practice. Two degrees from the University of Washington; law degree from University of Chicago. Campaign pitch: Taxpayers' watchdog. Running on liability-lawsuit reform and lowering the number of lawsuits aimed at the state. "The current situation is unacceptable."

The office also has a less glamorous side, with the job of defending state agencies from citizen lawsuits — and sharing the blame for multimillion-dollar judgments if cases are lost.

Nevertheless, it's the closest thing to job security a top state elective office can offer. Since the 1956 election, the state has had just four attorneys general. Gregoire is the fourth consecutive AG to serve 12 years.

"Yes, I guess you better like who you pick," said Senn, a former state insurance commissioner who is competing for the Democratic nomination with Sidran, a former Seattle city attorney.

In seeking the office of attorney general, each candidate is defining the job a bit differently — some pledging a more activist role, some more restrained. Each insists, though, that his or her résumé is the best match for the responsibility that comes with being the state's top lawyer.

Comeback candidate

At this month's state Democratic Party convention in Tacoma, Senn — whose stump speeches about gas prices and health-care costs and fighting for the ordinary citizen would be suited for a number of political offices — got the crowd going with a joke at the expense of President Bush. Invoking the names of U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft and Bush adviser Karl Rove near the close of her remarks, Senn sought to solidify her base by drawing on Bush-related ire.

Senn, 55, of Seattle, is viewed as the field's most liberal candidate, and she is proud of that.

"If being liberal means being an advocate for those who are hurt by big business or who can't get health care or whatever, that's OK by me," said Senn, who promises to work with other attorneys general on issues such as prescription-drug prices.

Deborah Senn Democrat Age: 55 Background: State insurance commissioner, 1993-2001; lost 2000 U.S. Senate primary to Maria Cantwell; in early career as a lawyer, worked on environmental and utility cases in Illinois Undergraduate and graduate degrees from University of Illinois; law degree from Loyola University in Chicago. Campaign pitch: People's advocate; "I will fight for you."

In a year when Democrats and Republicans seem particularly polarized, Senn thinks Democrats will turn out strongly for her in the primary. She has a number of union endorsements, including from the Washington State Labor Council and Washington Education Association.

This race represents an attempt at a political comeback for Senn, who fared poorly against Maria Cantwell in the 2000 U.S. Senate primary.

Another try for office

This is an attempted return, too, for Sidran, 52, who narrowly lost the Seattle mayor's race to Greg Nickels in 2001.

While Senn campaigns more as a people's advocate (and mentions Gregoire's role in the $206 billion tobacco settlement in 1998 as a model of leadership), Sidran does that, too, but hits hardest on his experience as a prosecutor and city attorney.

That experience, he contends, is the most relevant of all the candidates' to the attorney general's main tasks: offering legal counsel to government agencies and officials, defending the state in lawsuits and prosecuting, for example, consumer-protection cases. He points to endorsements from prosecutors around the state.

Sidran, who has been endorsed by Gov. Gary Locke, calls himself a law-and-order candidate and says that because he is seen as more politically moderate than Senn, he would do better in November's general election.

"Experience, effective and electable. E-lect-able," he told the crowd at the state Democratic convention.

His law-and-order reputation, though — cemented by the "civility laws" and car-impound policy he promoted in Seattle — has led opponents to question whether Sidran, a Seattle resident, is truly a Democrat at heart.

"I have never been anything else," he says.

Opportunity for GOP

The last Republican to hold the office was Ken Eikenberry, who served from 1981-1993. With Gregoire's departure the GOP now sees an opportunity for victory.

Chris Vance, state party chairman, said he expects considerable Republican Party interest — and contributions — from outside the state.

"I expect more money to be spent on the AG's race than ever before," he said.

McKenna, 41, first elected to the Metropolitan King County Council in 1995, is considered a rising star in the Republican Party, a conservative who, if he wins the attorney general's post, would be well positioned to run next for governor. In his past two County Council elections, McKenna was unopposed. In this race, he has out-raised everyone else, so far attracting about $500,000 in contributions.

"It's not easy for a Republican to win statewide," McKenna said, explaining that money — quite a but of it — will be needed to get out his message and his name.

McKenna, who lives in Bellevue, has spent much of his time on the County Council pushing lower property taxes and railing against what he sees as wasteful government spending. He has been a relentless critic of Sound Transit's light-rail plan.

Mark Sidran Democrat Age: 52 Background: Seattle city attorney, 1990-2001, lost Seattle mayor's race to Greg Nickels in 2001. Graduated from Harvard University; law degree from University of Washington. Campaign pitch: Experience as a deputy prosecutor in King County and as Seattle city attorney offers the field's best match for the attorney general's job. "If you want a good future, you need a good lawyer."

As attorney general, McKenna said he would build on his experience as a lawyer in private practice and his public-service career by supporting tort reform and better risk management to avoid the continued escalation in lawsuits against the state.

"The taxpayers can't afford to go on like this," said McKenna, who is also running as a law-and-order candidate, promoting his endorsements by firefighters and law-enforcement groups.

McKenna's candidacy is embraced by many of the GOP elite. Slade Gorton, the former state attorney general and former U.S. senator, and Eikenberry are chairmen of his steering committee.

"Dan Evans Republican"

Vaska, an attorney who lives in Issaquah, is trying to appeal to the more politically moderate wing of the party and is telling everyone he can that he is more likely to win crossover votes.

"A Dan Evans Republican," Vaska, 43, a civic activist and first-time candidate, says of himself.

But even as Evans, chairman of Vaska's steering committee, made a reputation as a moderate and a conciliator, a campaign letter he recently sent to business leaders and others offered some pointed criticism of Vaska's competition.

"Mike is not running for Attorney General because he needs a job or a stepping-stone to a political career," the leader read. "He is running because he sees a job to do, and if he doesn't step up, it will be left to others with an entirely different set of values."

The letter went on to note that McKenna "has not practiced law for nearly a decade. ... He is a professional politician."

Michael Vaska Republican Age: 43 Background: Lawyer in private practice for 18 years. Civic activist on transportation issues, heading committees on Sound Transit. Served as treasurer for a referendum campaign for highway and other transportation projects that I-695, a Tim Eyman initiative, effectively repealed. Undergraduate degree from Stanford University; law degree from University of Chicago. Campaign pitch: Most experienced litigator in the field and politically more moderate than front-runner McKenna. "I can get the Republican base but also reach out."

McKenna says his experience in government and as a lawyer in private practice concentrating on business and regulatory law offers a combination of skills that makes him "ideally" suited for the job. "I understand how government works and how the law works."

It's not just the attorney general's job that has forced a clash between McKenna and Vaska. Long interested in transportation issues, Vaska, as a volunteer, helped seek federal funds for Sound Transit. His support of regional funding for transportation led him to oppose Tim Eyman's initiatives and take part in several debates with him.

But what he says is most central to the attorney general's post is his law career. Vaska says he has the most experience as a litigator and has been involved in the most complex cases.

"Why should it be a politician's job?" he said.

For Vaska, Sidran and McKenna, the particular challenge of the race is to become better known statewide. Each has made his career and reputation in King County. Senn, because she has held statewide office, has the name-recognition advantage, but it is unclear how her loss to Cantwell may have affected her popularity.

Each is also conscious of the popularity of Gregoire and the tobacco-settlement deal, which helped elevate expectations for the job and its visibility.

"Whoever follows Christine will need to define the job," Sidran said. "But it is more visible now. The expectations from the public may well be higher."

Beth Kaiman: 206-464-2441 or bkaiman@seattletimes.com.

Copyright © 2004 The Seattle Times Company

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