Owen, opponent promise balance

Attorney vies with 12-year incumbent lieutenant governor

By Adam Wilson | The Olympian • Published October 15, 2008

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Lieutenant governor isn't exactly the highest-profile job in state government.

Marcia McCraw

• Party: Republican

• Residence: Seattle

• Web site: www.marcia mccraw4ltgov.com

• Occupation: Attorney

• Experience: Board member, U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum Council, Washington, D.C.; past chairwoman, USO Puget Sound Area; Opportunity Place Building Committee YWCA; board member, American Israel Public Affairs Committee, Junior League of Seattle Inc.

• Education: A.B., Asian Studies, Cornell University, 1977; Shih Fan College, Chinese Language School, Taipei, Taiwan, 1978; Hong Kong University, Asian Law Program, 1980; J.D., Western New England School of Law, 1981

• Campaign finances: Raised $25,000 and spent $22,000 as of Monday. That money includes $3,200 each from Ginger Ackerley of Seattle, Joel Eisenberg of Seattle and Wilburn Smith of Greenbank.

Brad Owen

• Party: Democratic

• Residence: Shelton

• Web site: http://ltgov.wa.gov/lt.governor

• Occupation: Lieutenant governor

• Experience: Co-chairman, Washington State Mentors, 2000 to present; president, Strategies For Youth, 1989 to present

• Education: Frankfurt American High School in Germany, 1968; honorary doctorate in letters (humanities), Walla Walla University, 2002

• Campaign finances: Raised $168,000 and spent $134,000 as of Monday. That includes $3,200 each from Physicians Insurance and the Washington State Dental political action committee; and $1,600 each from Wal-Mart, Qwest and the Public School Employees political committee.

Other officials have control over entire agencies, such as the Office of Insurance Commissioner or the Auditor's Office; the lieutenant governor has a staff of seven.

The lieutenant governor's first responsibility is to run the state Senate, overseeing fair play in debates and deciding procedural disputes between the Democratic and Republican parties. The job pays $94,000 per year.

Since Lt. Gov. Brad Owen's most recent election in 2004, his decision against allowing fellow Democrats to raise taxes without a two-thirds majority prompted a lawsuit; he was knighted by the king of Spain for his efforts in cultural affairs; and, as a steward of the Capitol Campus, he has favored keeping Capitol Lake rather than restoring the Deschutes River estuary.

In this election, he faces Republican attorney Marcia McCraw, who casts herself as an energetic alternative to a stodgy Owen, who has been in the position since 1996.

"I think it's time someone with a disposition to get things done has a role in leading the team in Olympia," she said. "In 12 years I think a lot more could have been done, and a lot more should be done."

McCraw of Seattle says she would be more active in legislative matters, proposing bills on topics of importance to her, such as encouraging renewable energy and boosting education funding.

She said she would do more to promote trade with foreign countries, and she would establish a broad database of volunteers and the civic organizations that need them.

And, as a Republican, she could bring a new perspective to a government controlled by Democrats in the House, Senate and Governor's Mansion, she said.

"We lose because we don't have a strong two-party system in our state," she said.

Owen is confident. The Shelton Democrat won his most recent election by 16 percentage points, and this time he has raised $168,000 to McGraw's $25,000.

There was talk of Owen serving as governor when it seemed now-Gov. Chris Gregoire and her opponent, Republican Dino Rossi, were locked in a ballot-counting dispute after the 2004 election. Gregoire was declared the winner and stepped in, but Owen says he's ready to go.

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