McGavick calls for "civility" in Senate

Former Safeco CEO Mike McGavick kicked off his campaign Saturday for a U.S. Senate seat, saying he would bring a "Northwestern voice of civility" to what he described as a culture of infighting in the nation's capital.

The event at the Seattle Center drew hundreds of GOP supporters, including speakers state Attorney General Rob McKenna and U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert, R-Auburn. They described McGavick as a decisive leader and a great hope for the state's Republican party.

McGavick is considered the leading contender against Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell this November. He declared his candidacy last autumn and has already raised more than $1.5 million in the lead-up to the Republican primary in September.

Saturday's event was McGavick's first stop on a six-day tour of 18 communities around the state. He talked in broad terms about the need for a balanced budget, more secure national borders and a win in the war on terrorism, no matter how long that takes. He emphasized the importance of safety and opportunity for all of America's children.

But mostly, McGavick spoke of the need for civility in the U.S. Senate. He pointed to the recent questioning of Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito as evidence of just how embittered the Senate has become. He expressed sympathy for Alito's wife, who left one hearing in tears.

"I think all of us turned in shame and disgust at the sham the Senate has become," he said.

This is a first run for political office by McGavick, a 47-year-old father of three. But as a young man, he worked for former Washington U.S. Sen. Slade Gorton, R-Wash., first as campaign manager and later as chief of staff. Gorton, who was at Saturday's event, lost to Cantwell by a narrow margin in 2000.

Outside of politics, McGavick is best known for his tenure at Safeco, which was struggling when he arrived in 2001. He is widely credited with the turnaround of that company.

But Democrats have raised questions about McGavick's performance there, pointing to a $2 million bonus he received in 2001, a year when he also laid off 1,200 workers.

Beyond that, Paul Berendt, chairman of the state Democratic Party, said he considered McGavick's talk of civility in the Senate to be disingenuous. He described McGavick as a lobbyist for an industry — insurance — that was itself in dire need of reform.

In the early months of his candidacy, McGavick has relied on advisers ranging from radio talk-show host John Carlson to Western Wireless Chief Executive John Stanton. The Rev. Joe Fuiten, an influential conservative religious leader, led the invocation at Saturday's event.

McGavick touched on a range of topics in his speech but said winning the war in Iraq was a top priority. He described the threat of terrorism as reaching beyond Iraq and Afghanistan.

"In the end, it's about terrorism writ large," said McGavick.

"We are going to have to turn our attention to Iran."

He said the federal budget must be balanced immediately for the sake of generations to come, but he emphasized that he would not advocate for more taxes. Instead, he said he would push for "reform" in the way government does business, using technology more effectively as a tool.

On the topic of immigration, McGavick said he would support "whatever it took" to seal the country's border from terrorists and drug-runners. Once that border is secure, McGavick said, the country should create a guest-worker program for immigrants.

McGavick said he would address other topics, such as the environment and education, in speeches to come in his tour around the state.

Cara Solomon: 206-464-2024 or csolomon@seattletimes.com