This Washington
McKenna in Bellevue, "New Direction," Same Speech
PubliCola reporter Lummy Lin was at Rob McKenna's breakfast campaign kickoff speech this morning at the the Meydenbauer Center in Bellevue, where the Republican attorney general, who's running for governor, strolled around the stage with an iPad and headset mike like Steve Jobs, reeling off the very same themes (and exact quotes) he did in June
when he announced his candidacy with his "New Direction" plan.[pullquote]As part of his platform, McKenna vowed to open up the workers' comp program to private competition—an idea that lost at the polls last year.[/pullquote]
As part of his platform, McKenna vowed to embrace Obama-style education reform (legalizing charter schools, tying teacher pay to student testing, and letting the state step in and take over failing local schools); increase funding to higher education, offering students a "50-50 deal" rather than requiring students to cover 75 percent of costs as higher ed funding declines to less than eight percent of the state budget; cut government costs by trimming the workforce 10 percent; make state employees pay 25 percent of insurance premiums (up from 15 percent, something Gov. Gregoire has also recommended); and open up the workers' comp program to private competition (an idea that lost at the polls last year.)
He also said he'd go after government inefficiencies.
Lummy will file a more in-depth report later. She did fire off this email from Bellevue, though, with a quick synopsis.
Lummy was armed with questions for the post-breakfast press conference, but it turns out—unlike at McKenna's June kickoff, where we asked him about his off-party message about counting on increased government revenues—the campaign decided not to do one.
Given recent events, here are a few things Lummy had on her list of questions:
1) A recent Washington Poll, one that found you leading Jay Inslee (so you probably agree with it), also found that voters would not repeal a gay marriage bill if the legislature passes one next year. Would you do anything to stop that bill?
(McKenna says his position on gay marriage—he's opposed—is no different than President Obama's. It's a clever ploy, but gay leaders aren't buying it. Meanwhile, McKenna has sided with gay rights groups in the fight to make the names of people who signed the anti-domestic-partnerships R-71 public.)
2) Gov. Chris Gregoire recently released $2 billion in recommended cuts to deal with the $2 billion budget crisis. Was it the best approach?
3) How would you make good on your proposal to up the state employee contribution to health coverage from 15 to 25 percent? Governor Gregoire already asked state workers to reopen contract talks and they refused.
4) What do think of the Occupy Seattle protests?
Stay tuned for Lummy's full report.
State Democratic Party spokeswoman Reesa Kossoff issued a fast response to McKenna's breakfast kickoff:
As part of his platform, McKenna vowed to embrace Obama-style education reform (legalizing charter schools, tying teacher pay to student testing, and letting the state step in and take over failing local schools); increase funding to higher education, offering students a "50-50 deal" rather than requiring students to cover 75 percent of costs as higher ed funding declines to less than eight percent of the state budget; cut government costs by trimming the workforce 10 percent; make state employees pay 25 percent of insurance premiums (up from 15 percent, something Gov. Gregoire has also recommended); and open up the workers' comp program to private competition (an idea that lost at the polls last year.)
He also said he'd go after government inefficiencies.
Lummy will file a more in-depth report later. She did fire off this email from Bellevue, though, with a quick synopsis.
Very energetic, people dressed very formally. Mckenna got a lot of hype about his status as being Republican (and a successful one) in a Democratic state. His jobs plan is called "New Direction for Washington." Basic conservative rhetoric—small government, less regulations, believing that jobs come from private sector primarily.
Some people in attendance: Republican King County Council members Jane Hague, Reagan Dunn, Secretary of State Sam Reed. Speeches by Jim Curley (Sammamish councilman), Raul Almeida (former E. washington police chief) and former Senior VP of Weyerhauser Mack Hogan.
Hogan portrayed Democrats as being afraid of Mckenna's success, reason for the mudslinging. Food looked tasty but press wasn't served any!!
Lummy was armed with questions for the post-breakfast press conference, but it turns out—unlike at McKenna's June kickoff, where we asked him about his off-party message about counting on increased government revenues—the campaign decided not to do one.
Given recent events, here are a few things Lummy had on her list of questions:
1) A recent Washington Poll, one that found you leading Jay Inslee (so you probably agree with it), also found that voters would not repeal a gay marriage bill if the legislature passes one next year. Would you do anything to stop that bill?
(McKenna says his position on gay marriage—he's opposed—is no different than President Obama's. It's a clever ploy, but gay leaders aren't buying it. Meanwhile, McKenna has sided with gay rights groups in the fight to make the names of people who signed the anti-domestic-partnerships R-71 public.)
2) Gov. Chris Gregoire recently released $2 billion in recommended cuts to deal with the $2 billion budget crisis. Was it the best approach?
3) How would you make good on your proposal to up the state employee contribution to health coverage from 15 to 25 percent? Governor Gregoire already asked state workers to reopen contract talks and they refused.
4) What do think of the Occupy Seattle protests?
Stay tuned for Lummy's full report.
State Democratic Party spokeswoman Reesa Kossoff issued a fast response to McKenna's breakfast kickoff:
“At a time when Washingtonians face some of the most difficult economic circumstances in our history, Rob McKenna rolled out his so called 'New Direction' for Washington by making tens of billions in campaign promises without offering one concrete proposal on how to pay for them. Washington needs a leader who is focused on creating jobs and revitalizing our economy, not making expensive, empty promises that fail to address reality.”
