Attorney General McKenna launches re-election bid
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) - Republican Attorney General Rob McKenna launched his 2008 re-election campaign on Wednesday, touting his first-term work fighting identity theft and methamphetamine abuse.
McKenna, a former King County councilman, was first elected attorney general in 2004. He is one of three Republicans to hold statewide elected office, along with Secretary of State Sam Reed and Public Lands Commissioner Doug Sutherland.
In an interview, McKenna said his travels around the state working on consumer protection, crime and open government issues have helped him connect with Washingtonians.
"I just need to do my job every day, and that's the most important thing I can do to persuade the voters to give me another four years," he said.
McKenna filed paperwork to seek a second term shortly after winning the attorney general's seat in 2004. Finance records show he's raised more than $470,000 overall for the 2008 campaign.
No one is officially running against McKenna yet, but Democrats have touted Pierce County Executive John Ladenburg as a possible candidate.
Ladenburg, a former county prosecutor, must retire from the executive's job because of term limits. He was on vacation Wednesday and declined comment through a spokeswoman on any possible campaign.
Wednesday's formal campaign kickoff drew about 1,600 people to Bellevue, McKenna said.
Dino Rossi, the GOP challenger for governor in 2008, and retired Seattle Seahawks fullback Mack Strong were among the notable attendees.
Hours after the kickoff event, state Democratic Party officials complained that McKenna's campaign ejected a Democratic operative attempting to film McKenna's kickoff speech.
Democratic spokesman Kelly Steele said that action clashes with McKenna's commitment to transparency and accountability, which is one of McKenna's top issues.
A McKenna campaign spokesman, Adam Faber, acknowledged the Democratic Party worker was removed by an off-duty police officer working as a security guard.
The event was at Meydenbauer Center, a publicly owned convention center in Bellevue often used for political events.
Faber said the campaign had rented the room and opened the event only to McKenna supporters and the press.
He said the campaign may have been more welcoming if officials hadn't felt the Democratic operative had sneaked in and tried to hide the fact he was filming the event.
"As I told him as the policeman was removing him, we're going to put the speech up on our Web site anyway. So if he wants to catch it there, he's more than welcome," Faber said.
Faber said he couldn't confirm Steele's assertion that the guard flashed some type of badge before removing the party operative.
McKenna, a former King County councilman, was first elected attorney general in 2004. He is one of three Republicans to hold statewide elected office, along with Secretary of State Sam Reed and Public Lands Commissioner Doug Sutherland.
In an interview, McKenna said his travels around the state working on consumer protection, crime and open government issues have helped him connect with Washingtonians.
"I just need to do my job every day, and that's the most important thing I can do to persuade the voters to give me another four years," he said.
McKenna filed paperwork to seek a second term shortly after winning the attorney general's seat in 2004. Finance records show he's raised more than $470,000 overall for the 2008 campaign.
No one is officially running against McKenna yet, but Democrats have touted Pierce County Executive John Ladenburg as a possible candidate.
Ladenburg, a former county prosecutor, must retire from the executive's job because of term limits. He was on vacation Wednesday and declined comment through a spokeswoman on any possible campaign.
Wednesday's formal campaign kickoff drew about 1,600 people to Bellevue, McKenna said.
Dino Rossi, the GOP challenger for governor in 2008, and retired Seattle Seahawks fullback Mack Strong were among the notable attendees.
Hours after the kickoff event, state Democratic Party officials complained that McKenna's campaign ejected a Democratic operative attempting to film McKenna's kickoff speech.
Democratic spokesman Kelly Steele said that action clashes with McKenna's commitment to transparency and accountability, which is one of McKenna's top issues.
A McKenna campaign spokesman, Adam Faber, acknowledged the Democratic Party worker was removed by an off-duty police officer working as a security guard.
The event was at Meydenbauer Center, a publicly owned convention center in Bellevue often used for political events.
Faber said the campaign had rented the room and opened the event only to McKenna supporters and the press.
He said the campaign may have been more welcoming if officials hadn't felt the Democratic operative had sneaked in and tried to hide the fact he was filming the event.
"As I told him as the policeman was removing him, we're going to put the speech up on our Web site anyway. So if he wants to catch it there, he's more than welcome," Faber said.
Faber said he couldn't confirm Steele's assertion that the guard flashed some type of badge before removing the party operative.
