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Tag: Rob McKenna

WA lawmakers off to dramatic start

WA lawmakers off to dramatic start

Washington’s 63rd Legislature is off to a dramatic start, with a coalition of minority Republicans banding with two dissident Democrats to take over control of the state Senate. The debate was fairly low-key. Despite having an elected majority in the upper chamber, the Democrats were left with little option but to accept that 23 Republicans had lined up support of fiscally conservative Democratic Sens. Rodney  Tom and Tim Sheldon to form the 25-member coalition to run the 49-member Senate. Democratic…

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WA voters: Yes to gay marriage, Obama & Democrats …

WA voters: Yes to gay marriage, Obama & Democrats …

But the governor’s race, the marquee state contest in the General Election, remains very close.  Democrat Jay Inslee, who gave up a safe congressional seat to run for the office being vacated by two-term Gov. Chris Gregoire, led Republican Attorney General Rob McKenna 51.32 percent to 48.68 percent, or about 50,000 votes out of nearly 1.9 million counted.  Inslee told cheering supporters it looked like victory, but didn’t declare himself the winner in so many words.  McKenna, still seeing a…

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`The race is on’: WA primaries next up

`The race is on’: WA primaries next up

Washington’s campaign season is officially underway, with hundreds of candidates signed up for 364 offices, from the U.S. Senate and statewide offices to key races that will determine control of the state Legislature and the future of 10 congressional districts. Secretary of State Sam Reed said he was pleased with the remarkable rush of interest in state and local office, given the difficult problems facing Washington state and the sometimes harsh nature of modern campaigning and the unpredictable influence of…

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Gregoire bows out of 2012 gov’s race

Gregoire bows out of 2012 gov’s race

Washington will have a new governor in 2013. Two-term Democratic incumbent Chris Gregoire made it official Monday, telling reporters on the front porch of the Executive Mansion that she won’t seek a third term in 2012.  She talked about “amazing triumphs and difficult challenges,” and said stepping down is “the right decision for me and my family.” Her news, no surprise to politicos, means a wide-open governor’s race for the first time since Gary Locke stepped aside after two terms…

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Health bill challenge heats up

Health bill challenge heats up

With Washington’s Legislature still marking time for a budget-and-tax agreement to emerge, the spotlight this week has been on legislation passed and signed in the Other Washington.   Attorney General Rob McKenna signed onto a multistate constitutional challenge, touching off a barrage of criticism from Gov. Chris Gregoire, Democratic legislators and Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler , who support the legislation as signed by President Obama. An excellent primer on the respective views of  Republican McKenna and Democrat Kreidler is this Austin…

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