Republican candidates sure do love to bad-mouth Washington's business climate. Back on June 8, when he officially announced for governor, Rob McKenna's campaign website touted a "new direction for Washington state that focuses on job creation." And a week later, in announcing his campaign to succeed McKenna as attorney general, Reagan Dunn lamented our state's "unfavorable business climate for job creation."

Which makes me wonder if McKenna and Dunn would be surprised to learn that Washington's 8,315 net new businesses last year ranked us first in the nation in new business creation? Former leader California, by comparison, lost a net 4,632 businesses last year. And of course, any number of surveys consistently rank Washington as one of the most business friendly states in the nation.

Wow. Just imagine how great our business climate could be if not for all those anti-business, job-killing Democrats running the state.