Former Safeco head seeks Senate seat

SEATTLE, July 19 (UPI) -- The newly resigned head of Safeco, a Seattle property and casualty insurance firm, plans to run for the seat of U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash.

News of Mike McGavick's candidacy comes on the heels of Friday's announcement by Dino Rossi, the 2004 Republican candidate for governor, that he won't challenge Cantwell.

McGavick, 47, has the backing of numerous state Republican leaders, many of whom hope a juggernaut of support for Slade Gorton's 1988 campaign manager and former Senate staff chief will discourage other credible Republicans from opposing him, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reported.

McGavick resigned Monday, effective Aug. 31. He discussed leaving the company with his board for the last two months. McGavick has run Safeco since 2001 and is widely credited with the insurer's recent financial revival.