This editorial will appear in Sunday’s print edition.

Washington has two substantial candidates for governor this year, state Attorney General Rob McKenna and Jay Inslee. McKenna is the standout.

Inslee, a Democrat, has had a creditable career as a federal lawmaker. He represented the 1st Congressional District from 1999 until earlier this year, when he stepped down to focus on the governor’s race.

One stark difference between the two is administrative experience. Inslee’s résumé has nothing to compare with McKenna’s eight years running the
Office of the Attorney General, which amounts to an immense law firm employing hundreds of attorneys.

It’s not just that he ran the office; he ran it well. His most impressive achievement, perhaps, was his multi-pronged, multi-state offensive against banks that had preyed on homebuyers and homeowners with dishonest lending and foreclosure practices.

This year, he and several of his peers from other states pushed JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, City and GMAC into a $25 billion settlement. Read more »

When a politician elected from some other corner of the state happens to drop in and nonchalantly chat us up, it’s not a coincidence.

Yesterday’s visit by U.S. Rep. Jay Inslee wasn’t the exception. The ostensible purpose was to talk about his energy proposals, for which briefing we were grateful. But had Inslee – who represents exotic lands north of Seattle – just found himself with time to kill and felt moved to drive down I-5 and kill it with The News Tribune’s opinion writers?

Well … it’s no longer much of a secret that Inslee, a devout Democrat, has …

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