As the state’s top law-enforcement officer, the attorney general must rise above partisanship. That’s why in the primary, we endorsed Republican Mike Vaska and Democrat Mark Sidran, relative political outsiders with considerable legal experience.
Both lost, and now voters face a choice between two political insiders, Republican Rob McKenna and Democrat Deborah Senn. McKenna is a member of the King County Council; Senn is a former state insurance commissioner who ran unsuccessfully for a U.S. Senate seat four years ago.
Our endorsement goes to McKenna, largely because we believe he would bring a more even-handed, nonpartisan approach to the office. The fact that he is endorsed by leading law enforcement groups underscores two of his priorities: eradicating meth labs and fighting technology crimes, including identity theft.
In his work as a King County Council member and as a former member of the Sound Transit board, McKenna has never been shy about taking strong stands. He was a vocal critic of Sound Transit, but maintained good professional relationships with his opponents, not letting disagreements get personal.
The same can’t be said for Senn, who has a reputation for being strident and difficult to work with. That, combined with the traditional party backing of labor, raises a legitimate concern that as the person in charge of the state’s attorneys, she might be too quick to threaten litigation against business. An erosion of the state’s business climate is the last thing our economy needs.
Both candidates say they would work to strengthen the consumer protection division of the office. McKenna makes a strong case, as his primary opponent Vaska did, for working more closely with state agencies on risk management to reduce the number of lawsuits against the state. That’s the most effective way for the attorney general to help improve the state’s fiscal picture.
Senn argues that her experience running a large state agency works in her favor, but we question that. During her tenure as insurance commissioner, the office lost its national accreditation because of auditing problems, making it more costly for private insurers to do business here. The office’s lack of adequate auditing doesn’t inspire confidence in Senn’s management abilities.
Effectiveness and even-handedness are required of an attorney general. McKenna scores better on both counts.
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