- Oct 7, 2011
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By Patrick Ennis
Washington State has not elected a Republican governor in 32 years the longest GOP gubernatorial drought in the country. Its the fourth-most unionized state. Its teachers union, trial lawyers and environmentalist lobby are as strong as any states and are funding its largest super PAC.
So it wasnt surprising when Obama carried Washington by a 17-point margin in 2008. What was surprising was that Republican Rob McKenna won the states attorney general election with 59% of the vote that same day, outperforming McCain by 19 points. No other statewide candidate in the country outperformed his partys presidential candidate by as large a margin that year. If Washington State were a major market like California or New York, this astonishing result wouldve been heralded by the media.
After two terms as attorney general, McKenna is now running for governor and is ahead in fundraising, endorsements and most polls.
Whats going on? First, politics is about candidates. And even in this traditionally Democratic stronghold, McKenna is proving to be a compelling choice. His efforts as the states top attorney have given him significant name recognition statewide, and he has a record of successfully combating mortgage fraud, human trafficking and consumer scams that target the elderly.
His message is resonating with conservatives, independents and even many liberals. His calls for streamlining state government and reforming Washingtons lagging public education system have drawn high praise from a wide range of supporters. In fact, several groups that endorsed the current Democratic incumbent have crossed party lines to endorse McKenna over his public employee union-backed opponent...
Read more: In the other Washington, a rising GOP star | The Daily Caller
Washington State has not elected a Republican governor in 32 years the longest GOP gubernatorial drought in the country. Its the fourth-most unionized state. Its teachers union, trial lawyers and environmentalist lobby are as strong as any states and are funding its largest super PAC.
So it wasnt surprising when Obama carried Washington by a 17-point margin in 2008. What was surprising was that Republican Rob McKenna won the states attorney general election with 59% of the vote that same day, outperforming McCain by 19 points. No other statewide candidate in the country outperformed his partys presidential candidate by as large a margin that year. If Washington State were a major market like California or New York, this astonishing result wouldve been heralded by the media.
After two terms as attorney general, McKenna is now running for governor and is ahead in fundraising, endorsements and most polls.
Whats going on? First, politics is about candidates. And even in this traditionally Democratic stronghold, McKenna is proving to be a compelling choice. His efforts as the states top attorney have given him significant name recognition statewide, and he has a record of successfully combating mortgage fraud, human trafficking and consumer scams that target the elderly.
His message is resonating with conservatives, independents and even many liberals. His calls for streamlining state government and reforming Washingtons lagging public education system have drawn high praise from a wide range of supporters. In fact, several groups that endorsed the current Democratic incumbent have crossed party lines to endorse McKenna over his public employee union-backed opponent...
Read more: In the other Washington, a rising GOP star | The Daily Caller
