McKenna hopes to become "the people's attorney"

Attorney General candidate hopes to make changes to office

King County Councilman Rob McKenna is running for attorney general of the state, pledging to keep a close eye on agencies and a close contact with the people.

"I want to be the people's attorney general first," McKenna, who is running as a Republican, said, "and then the attorney general for the state government."

McKenna said he had three main goals if he were to be elected attorney general: to become a top advocate for law enforcement in Washington state, to reduce the number of lawsuits against the state and to advocate for certain law reforms, such as tort reform.

McKenna said that under his watch, he would make sure that state agencies are following the laws they expect citizens to follow.

One of the agencies that would receive special scrutiny is the Department of Social and Health Services, which he said needed to be dismantled, as he sees it as unmanageable and unaccountable in its current form.

Another example, he said, is what he sees as the unwillingness of some state agencies to comply with the state's Public Disclosure Act. He said the attorney general's office had weighed in against disclosure.

"A few years ago, the attorney general's office was found in violation of the Public Disclosure Act," he said. "(That) is an example of where the attorney general is not following the law."

McKenna believes the state has some serious problems to solve, among them the transportation issue.

"Voters decided to pour millions of dollars in the light rail," he said. "I don't think it's very cost effective."

During his speeches, McKenna constantly mentions the current leadership at the attorney general's office. McKenna explained this is because he is running to make changes there.

Standing between the attorney general's office and McKenna are three other candidates, Republican Mike Vaska, and Democrats Mark Sidran and Deborah Senn. McKenna said he considered himself the front-runner in both the Republican primary and the general race.

"Look at the organization, look at the funding, look at the endorsements," he said. "I am well ahead of my competition."

One of those endorsements came from the Seattle firefighters. McKenna highlighted this endorsement, as he said firefighters have usually been Democratic supporters.

McKenna said that his strong track record as a defender of public safety and law enforcement drew the firefighters to his campaign.

One of the reasons McKenna believes he is ahead of his opponents is his understanding of what campaigning for attorney general entails.

"It's political as well as legal," he said. "Political experience is important, and not just being a lawyer."

Earlier this month, McKenna held a private fund raiser in Moses Lake. It was his second visit in less than two weeks.

McKenna said that a Republican running statewide has to become known in central and eastern Washington, in order for voters to become comfortable supporting them. Sometimes, the notion of the state east of the Cascades as a GOP stronghold makes candidates take this area for granted, he said.

"We probably have a majority here," he said. "The question is how big is it, and how do we increase voter turnout."

With the general elections less than six months away, McKenna said that he has learned a lot on the campaign trail. Some lessons have been harder than others.

"We just got the committee in King County going," he said. "We have been focused on building a base outside our home turf. We probably should have started earlier in King County.

He said he has learned about the pivotal role played by volunteers in large campaigns. "You need more volunteers. It's critical," he said. "That is why we have been in Spokane and southwestern Washington, and why we have been here four times."

The state's attorney general, Christine Gregoire, is running for governor. Asked whether he saw the governorship in his future, McKenna said that although he believes in never saying never, he saw it as a mistake in looking that far ahead.

"The key to success in life is to achieve excellence in whatever it is you do," he said, adding that his goal is to be attorney general for eight years.

"I did not run for King County council because I wanted to be attorney general," he said. "But because I wanted to help my community."

The prospect of working for a Democratic governor does not faze McKenna. Emphasizing his "good relationship" with Republican candidate for governor Dino Rossi, he said that if a person from the other side of the aisle is elected alongside him, he will work to serve Washingtonians to the best of his ability.

"I am a professional," he said. "I'll be there to serve the best I can with my understanding of what the law says."