Ladenburg goes after McKenna, asks him to step down as McCain chair

When Republican presidential candidate John McCain came to Washington on Tuesday, state Democrats were poised and ready to hit back on his stance on Iraq and his connection to the French-American firm that won a hotly debated Air Force contract earlier this year. While the state party mocked McCain and Dino Rossi for supporting him, one Democrat was more straightforward.

Attorney General candidate John Ladenburg directly called on his Republican opponent, Attorney General Rob McKenna, to disassociate himself with the McCain campaign. McKenna is the McCain's Washington State Campaign Chair.

In a press release, Ladenburg called on McKenna to step down from his post.

"How Rob McKenna can stand at Boeing Field with the man responsible for the loss of Boeing jobs here in Washington State is beyond me," Ladenburg said.

He went on to knock the Republicans for their support of laws that he says take away citizens' personal choice, namely Roe v. Wade.

"Our state has stood up again and again for personal choice in spite of politicians like Rob McKenna and John McCain," said Ladenburg. "McKenna's hollow claim that he will defend state law is pretty weak in comparison to his advocacy for lawmakers, judicial candidates, and now a presidential nominee who has pledged to overturn federal protections. He doesn't need to defend a law his friends repeal."

Ladenburg continued to go after McKenna in the letter, ultimately insinuating that McKenna is overly ambitious and partisan.

"Rob McKenna has an opportunity to show us that he is on our side-that he cares about our jobs, our laws, and our liberties," said Ladenburg. "Instead of being an ambitious politician currying favor from his party's standard bearer, he can step up and be a leader for the people of Washington State. By standing with John McCain, Rob McKenna continues to show his true colors as a deeply partisan politician."