McKenna declaring victory in campaign for attorney general

By Stuart Eskenazi
Seattle Times staff reporter

MIKE SIEGEL / THE SEATTLE TIMES Rob McKenna, center, Republican candidate for attorney general, reacts to the early returns with family and friends at a hotel in downtown Bellevue last evening. At left is McKenna's son Robert, 8, giving a cheer at the positive numbers.

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A win would mark another ascent in McKenna's political maturation process, which began as University of Washington student-body president and evolved to Metropolitan King County councilman, a position he has held since 1996.

The 42-year-old from Bellevue would take over from Democrat Christine Gregoire, who is running for governor after 12 years in the job.

McKenna said his administration would emulate those of past Republican attorneys general Slade Gorton and Ken Eikenberry.

"They both ran very professional, nonpartisan, nonpoliticized offices," McKenna said. "They looked for the best talent available and are still revered by those in the office who worked for them. That's the kind of dedication the office deserves."

McKenna said he was already putting together a team of Democrats and Republicans, including Gorton and Eikenberry, to advise him during the transition.

	JAMES BRANAMAN / THE SEATTLE TIMES Deborah Senn, Democratic attorney-general candidate, and campaign field director Adam Ruff campaign to those waiting for the Kingston ferry last night in Edmonds.

"Some of the names will surprise you," he said.

Once in office, McKenna said he would ask the Legislature to strengthen the state's public-disclosure act, pass meaningful tort reform and assist law enforcement in combating criminal enterprises such as meth labs.

Senn, 55, a former state insurance commissioner who ran unsuccessfully in 2000 for her party's nomination for U.S. Senate, chose not to take part in last night's state Democratic party gathering at the Westin Hotel in Seattle.

Instead, spokeswoman Karen Besserman said, Senn met briefly with her supporters at the hotel and left with her family to watch returns at home.

"There is too much unknown right now," said Besserman, who did not expect Senn to speak publicly about the election until today. "She is at home biting her fingernails, just like everybody else."

The attorney general is the state's top lawyer, managing a team of professionals that provides legal counsel to state agencies, boards and commissions, colleges and universities, the Legislature and the governor.

Although the oath is to defend state laws — even those the officeholder may personally oppose — the attorney general has wide discretion over which consumer-protection cases to pursue on behalf of the public.

The contest featured two candidates with contrasting personalities. Senn asked voters to elect a proactive attorney general who would be a forceful advocate for consumers.

McKenna said he would beef up the office's consumer-protection division but promised a more restrained approach than that of his opponent.

During the campaign, Senn said she would work with other Democratic attorneys general to help lower gas prices. McKenna said the campaign promise exposed Senn's predisposition to sue industry — even when no evidence of wrongdoing exists.

McKenna was fond of saying that the attorney general's office is not a profit center for the state. Also on the ballot were Libertarian J. Bradley Gibson and Green party nominee Paul Richmond. who withdrew from the race last month.

Stuart Eskenazi: 206-464-2293 or seskenazi@seattletimes.com

Copyright © 2004 The Seattle Times Company

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