Attorney General Rob McKenna released the following statement after reviewing initial primary results that indicate his gubernatorial bid will advance to the general election:
Just yesterday, we received another reminder of why we need a New Direction in Washington. The governor's own budget office released a four-year budget projection dripping in red ink, showing multi-billion dollar deficits in the years ahead. No wonder the voters feel like state government is in a permanent state of crisis. The choice that faces us is in this election, is do we keep electing the same people who have been digging a deeper hole, or do we put a new team on the field to make tough decisions and craft a sustainable budget?
We can change state government, so that it's smaller and more efficient, and the other side can't say that. The approach preferred by my opponent is to keep Olympia the same. It's time to change the same old way of doing things and fund our top priorities first. My top priority is ensuring every child in this state receives a great education.
I've produced a specific plan, a roadmap that will truly put education funding first so we can meet the Supreme Court mandate while protecting programs for the most vulnerable. My opponent hasn't offered a plan. He serves the adults in the classroom, not the kids -- and we need to put the kids first.
Education matters so much because it is the path to prosperity, to a good job, for our children. You're going to hear a lot of talk this fall about jobs, but there are some stark differences between me and my opponent. I say, let's unleash the power of the private sector and create sustainable, long-lasting jobs. My opponent's jobs plan is about letting government pick the winners and losers. That didn't work in Congress when my opponent was there and it won't work in Washington State either.
We have been at this for over a year. Primaries pit people in the same party against each other, but when they're over, it's time for folks to join together to work for a better state. As Ronald Reagan said, "The person who agrees with you 80% of the time is a friend and ally -- not a 20% traitor." I couldn't agree more, and I invite everyone who supported another candidate in this primary, even those who voted for Congressman Inslee, to join with us in setting a New Direction for Washington State.