Pierce County executive to run against McKenna for Attorney General

OLYMPIA — Pierce County Executive John Ladenburg is taking on Republican Attorney General Rob McKenna in the November election.

Ladenburg announced his run for statewide office as a Democrat on Wednesday and immediately went on the attack, accusing McKenna of wasting money, doing little to protect consumers and being too conservative for Washington voters.

"This office could be made a really effective tool for citizens. That just hasn't been done," Ladenburg said. "I can bring a completely different level of experience and background to the Attorney General's Office that hasn't been there in decades."

McKenna said Ladenburg has his facts wrong and that he's confident of being be re-elected.

It's generally tough to unseat an incumbent. McKenna beat Democrat Deborah Senn with about 53 percent of the vote to win the open seat in 2004, and he has good name recognition across the state.

McKenna took over the office vacated by Democrat Christine Gregoire, who was elected governor the same year. He's raised more than $700,000 for his 2008 campaign. Ladenburg hasn't filed financial-disclosure forms with the state yet.

McKenna hasn't made any major political mistakes in office that would make him vulnerable this November, said Todd Donovan, a political-science professor at Western Washington University.

A landslide election for Democrats nationally could pose problems for McKenna. Still, "it's an uphill battle," Donovan said. "It would take a really big year for Democrats."

Ladenburg served as Pierce County prosecutor for three terms before becoming the county executive in 2001. No other Democrats are expected to file for the office, according to the state Democratic Party.

Ladenburg criticized McKenna for not doing enough in the area of consumer protection, including identity theft.

He accused McKenna of spending millions on public-service ads that are ineffective. "Not having been a prosecutor like me, he doesn't understand what needs to get done," Ladenburg said.

McKenna said he's done ads for cable television that were paid for by Comcast. "There was absolutely no public expenditure involved," he said.

McKenna said he's expanded the consumer-protection division since taking office and has put a focus on identity theft. "We've brought more anti-spyware cases ... than any state in the country," he said. "We teach other states how to go after Internet-based fraud."

Ladenburg also claimed McKenna is not in sync with Washington voters when it comes to abortion rights. "I believe in choice, and Rob is a believer in right to life," he said.

McKenna said Ladenburg is incorrect. "I am pro-choice, and I'm on the record as being pro-choice," he said.

Andrew Garber: 360-943-9882 or agarber@seattletimes.com