I had expected to vote for Rob McKenna. I had two reasons:
1. I was very impressed by McKenna’s stand on eduction. He has adopted the Obama agenda … tough teacher evaluations, replacing union work rules for teachers with professional standards, charter schools, and a commitment to maintain the UW as a world class university.
2. I believe we need a two party system and want to see true moderate Republicans.
McKenna has failed to back up his plan on education with any sort of commitment to funding reform. Instead his economic plan continues the current policies of regressive taxation … a Paul Ryan-esque pretense at commitment to funding State services we need while starving government. Sadly, I conclude that McKenna’s obeisance to the Tea Party makes McKenna’s educations commitment worthless. 
I am not alone in this sad decision. The League of Education Voters, despite being very much aligned with McKenna’s vision of education, has refused to endorse the Republican.
Pepple said: “I wouldn’t say surprised. I’d certainly say disappointed” “The League decided that they were not going to follow their mission. Our understanding is the staff recommended an endorsement of Rob, but the board which is controlled primarily by those that will be voting for Congressman Inslee made sure that did not occur.” In reponse to another reporter, Pepple said: “It was provided to me confidentially. I can’t give the name out. It’s no secret among the people who are around LEV that in this case there was an effort by the board to take control of this process because they did not want to see [the LEV endorsement] go to Rob.”
I suspect that the board does fully support McKenna’s agenda. How can they endorse that agenda when McKenna’s commitment to Ryanomics means that the agneda can not be realized?