State Attorney General Rob McKenna announced that, with support from the Secretary of State’s office, he plans to appeal the ruling of a federal judge in Tacoma who granted an injunction yesterday keeping the names of people who signed a petition to put R71 on the ballot private. Details and a copy of the ruling are on the Seattle Times’ Web site. But one thing that stands out is who is behind the appeal. McKenna and Secretary of State Sam Reed are both Republicans. Susan Hutchison, a candidate with deep ties, and thousands of dollars in donations, to the GOP (though quite emphatic that she is neither D nor R herself), also supports the law granting gay and lesbian domestic partners the same rights the state gives married couples. In Washington state, it seems, gay rights are no longer a Democrat/Republican wedge issue, which could bode well for the success of R71 on the November ballot.And on that note, a quick reminder that if you supported the law as created by the legislature, you need to vote “yes” in November.