The 2008 Washington Attorney General election was held on Tuesday, November 4, 2008, to elect the attorney general of Washington, concurrently with the 2008 U.S. presidential election, as well as elections to the U.S. Senate and various state and local elections, including for U.S. House and governor of Washington. Washington is one of two states that holds a top-two primary, meaning that all candidates are listed on the same ballot regardless of party affiliation, and the top two move on to the general election.

Incumbent Republican Attorney General Rob McKenna was re-elected to a second term in office, defeating Democratic challenger John Ladenburg in a landslide, winning by almost 20 points and carrying all but two counties.https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/rob-mckenna-wins-second-term/ As of , this is the last time a Republican was elected Washington Attorney General. Along with the concurrent secretary of state election, this is also the last time King County voted Republican in a statewide election against a Democratic opponent.

Candidates Republican Party Advanced to general Rob McKenna, incumbent attorney general (2005–2013)

Democratic Party Advanced to general John Ladenburg, Pierce County Executive

Primary election Results

By county +CountyRob McKenna RepublicanJohn Ladenburg DemocraticMarginTotal votes#%#%#%Adams1,90375.10%63124.90%1,27250.20%2,534Asotin3,04057.79%2,22042.21%82015.59%5,260Benton27,12771.14%11,00628.86%16,12142.28%38,133Chelan11,62768.59%5,32531.41%6,30237.18%16,952Clallam12,90659.19%8,89840.81%4,00818.38%21,804Clark40,62555.97%31,96044.03%8,66511.94%72,585Columbia1,05572.46%40127.54%65444.92%1,456Cowlitz10,89050.82%10,53949.18%3511.64%21,429Douglas5,81969.29%2,57930.71%3,24038.58%8,398Ferry1,27464.51%70135.49%57329.01%1,975Franklin7,52368.87%3,40131.13%4,12237.73%10,924Garfield55973.46%20226.54%35746.91%761Grant10,23969.50%4,49330.50%5,74639.00%14,732Grays Harbor9,46255.56%7,56944.44%1,89311.12%17,031Island14,67260.49%9,58439.51%5,08820.98%24,256Jefferson5,76345.56%6,88754.44%-1,124-8.89%12,650King174,73250.94%168,30249.06%6,4301.87%343,034Kitsap37,00457.06%27,85142.94%9,15314.11%64,855Kittitas6,38065.85%3,30834.15%3,07231.71%9,688Klickitat2,88756.57%2,21643.43%67113.15%5,103Lewis13,13568.45%6,05531.55%7,08036.89%19,190Lincoln2,67771.22%1,08228.78%1,59542.43%3,759Mason9,82358.31%7,02341.69%2,80016.62%16,846Okanogan5,54664.48%3,05535.52%2,49128.96%8,601Pacific3,25549.18%3,36450.82%-109-1.65%6,619Pend Oreille2,40863.67%1,37436.33%1,03427.34%3,782Pierce78,22852.88%69,70847.12%8,5205.76%147,936San Juan2,97545.25%3,59954.75%-624-9.49%6,574Skagit17,74459.53%12,06540.47%5,67919.05%29,809Skamania1,26252.50%1,14247.50%1204.99%2,404Snohomish81,15957.25%60,60942.75%20,55014.50%141,768Spokane64,42160.71%41,68739.29%22,73421.43%106,108Stevens8,47068.18%3,95331.82%4,51736.36%12,423Thurston37,61758.45%26,74541.55%10,87216.89%64,362Wahkiakum76656.95%57943.05%18713.90%1,345Walla Walla8,76866.17%4,48333.83%4,28532.34%13,251Whatcom26,27955.45%21,11544.55%5,16410.90%47,394Whitman4,94161.20%3,13338.80%1,80822.39%8,074Yakima28,27969.50%12,41030.50%15,86939.00%40,689Totals783,24056.98%591,25443.02%191,98613.97%1,374,494

By congressional district District McKenna Ladenburg Representative 57% 43%Jay Inslee 57% 43%Rick Larsen 57% 43%Brian Baird 69% 31%Doc Hastings 62% 38%Cathy McMorris Rodgers 53% 47%Norm Dicks 36% 64%Jim McDermott 63% 37%Dave Reichert 56% 44%Adam Smith

General election Endorsements

Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin RobMcKenna (R) JohnLadenburg (D) UndecidedSurveyUSASurveyUSAOctober 30 – November 2, 2008663 (LV)± 3.8%59%36%6%SurveyUSASurveyUSAOctober 26–27, 2008630 (LV)± 3.9%57%36%7%SurveyUSASurveyUSAOctober 12–13, 2008544 (LV)± 4.3%54%38%8%SurveyUSASurveyUSASeptember 21–22, 2008682 (LV)± 3.8%53%39%8%SurveyUSASurveyUSASeptember 5–7, 2008658 (LV)± 3.9%55%40%5%SurveyUSASurveyUSAAugust 11–12, 2008718 (LV)± 3.7%51%43%6%SurveyUSASurveyUSAJuly 13–15, 2008666 (LV)± 3.9%49%41%10%SurveyUSASurveyUSAJune 7–9, 2008637 (LV)± 4.0%49%42%9%

Results

By county +CountyRob McKenna RepublicanJohn Ladenburg DemocraticMarginTotal votes#%#%#%Adams3,48076.28%1,08223.72%2,39852.56%4,562Asotin5,81263.20%3,38436.80%2,42826.40%9,196Benton51,09273.68%18,24826.32%32,84447.37%69,340Chelan21,09170.10%8,99629.90%12,09540.20%30,087Clallam22,45962.13%13,69037.87%8,76924.26%36,149Clark95,13556.13%74,36043.87%20,77512.26%169,495Columbia1,60077.07%47622.93%1,12454.14%2,076Cowlitz21,56651.57%20,25048.43%1,3163.15%41,816Douglas10,40572.49%3,94927.51%6,45644.98%14,354Ferry2,16466.32%1,09933.68%1,06532.64%3,263Franklin13,27670.07%5,67129.93%7,60540.14%18,947Garfield99478.21%27721.79%71756.41%1,271Grant18,69971.77%7,35628.23%11,34343.53%26,055Grays Harbor17,05161.29%10,77138.71%6,28022.57%27,822Island25,53164.55%14,02235.45%11,50929.10%39,553Jefferson9,30749.61%9,45450.39%-147-0.78%18,761King453,33053.56%393,11146.44%60,2197.11%846,441Kitsap71,31760.21%47,12339.79%24,19420.43%118,440Kittitas11,37968.09%5,33231.91%6,04736.19%16,711Klickitat5,16655.49%4,14444.51%1,02210.98%9,310Lewis23,17670.61%9,64829.39%13,52841.21%32,824Lincoln4,18575.43%1,36324.57%2,82250.87%5,548Mason17,01962.79%10,08437.21%6,93525.59%27,103Okanogan9,97163.45%5,74336.55%4,22826.91%15,714Pacific5,46053.67%4,71446.33%7467.33%10,174Pend Oreille4,17967.67%1,99732.33%2,18235.33%6,176Pierce181,79258.20%130,55041.80%51,24216.41%312,342San Juan4,55146.56%5,22453.44%-673-6.88%9,775Skagit33,53063.34%19,41036.66%14,12026.67%52,940Skamania2,67253.34%2,33746.66%3356.69%5,009Snohomish186,16961.36%117,22638.64%68,94322.72%303,395Spokane134,70665.03%72,43934.97%62,26730.06%207,145Stevens14,84170.30%6,27029.70%8,57140.60%21,111Thurston74,73462.41%45,00737.59%29,72724.83%119,741Wahkiakum1,20357.70%88242.30%32115.40%2,085Walla Walla15,91169.65%6,93430.35%8,97739.30%22,845Whatcom53,46656.95%40,41943.05%13,04713.90%93,885Whitman10,08562.42%6,07137.58%4,01424.85%16,156Yakima51,26068.97%23,06131.03%28,19937.94%74,321Totals1,689,76459.46%1,152,17440.54%537,59018.92%2,841,938

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

King (largest city: Seattle) Pacific (largest city: Raymond)

By congressional district McKenna won eight of nine congressional districts, including five that elected Democrats. District McKenna Ladenburg Representative 61% 39%Jay Inslee 61% 39%Rick Larsen 58% 42%Brian Baird 70% 30%Doc Hastings 66% 34%Cathy McMorris Rodgers 57% 43%Norm Dicks 40% 60%Jim McDermott 66% 34%Dave Reichert 60% 40%Adam Smith

References

Notes