Tagged: Jay Inslee

It’s déjà vu. Once again, Washington’s race for governor is too close to call. Democrat Jay Inslee leads Republican Rob McKenna by nearly three percentage points with just over half the expected ballots counted.

The issue of pay raises for public employees is quickly becoming an issue in Washington’s race for governor. There’s much to debate including: a cost of living increase for teachers, a dollar-an-hour pay hike for unionized homecare workers, and an end to a 3 percent pay cut for state workers.

At the last governor’s debate, Republican Rob McKenna attacked Democrat Jay Inslee’s record as a state lawmaker in the early 1990s.

As the presidential candidates prepare for Wednesday night’s debate, polls show President Obama averages a 15-point advantage in Washington over Republican rival Mitt Romney. Washington’s open race for governor is much closer. The two candidates in that contest met Tuesday night in Yakima for a fiery third debate. But the polls highlight a reality for Republican Rob McKenna: he’ll have to woo a good number of Obama voters if he’s to become Washington’s first G-O-P governor in nearly 30 years.

Both candidates for Washington governor have pledged to drive more money into education – without raising taxes. But the state faces a $1 billion shortfall in the next two year budget cycle. Plus, a recent Supreme Court ruling requires the state to come up with another $1 billion for schools.