Personal life Born in 1958, McGavick grew up in Seattle's Wallingford neighborhood with two sisters, Molly and Meaghan. His parents, Joe and Carole, were active in local civics. He attended Seattle Preparatory School, a college prep school and graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in political science. He was also a key member of the Rugby team there. His father, Joe, served both in the State Legislature and on the State Liquor Control Board. Joe McGavick was the last Republican to serve the Wallingford neighborhood since the Great Depression. McGavick has credited his father for sparking his interest in politics. McGavick's wife, Gaelynn, is an attorney by training who has experience in the arena of health care policy, at one point working as a liaison to the White House for the American Hospital Association. The McGavicks have two sons. Senate campaign McGavick makes "civility" a central campaign theme In early January 2006, McGavick began his campaign full-time for the U.S. Senate, saying he would bring a "Northwestern voice of civility" to what he described as a culture of infighting in the nation's capital. For most of July, the McGavick campaigned traveled around the state in an RV, making stops in: Seattle, Sedro-Woolley, Oak Harbor, Anacortes, Bellingham, Friday Harbor, Port Angeles, Forks, Clallam Bay, Bremerton, Belfair, Satsop, Aberdeen, Raymond, South Bend, Seaview, Naselle, Cathlamet, Vancouver, Goldendale, Pateros, Brewster, Republic, Colville, Spokane, Pullman, Clarkston, Pomeroy, Dayton, Prosser, Ritzville, Moses Lake, Leavenworth, and Yakima, among others. Schwartzman v. McGavick In August 2006, Safeco Insurance Co. shareholder Emma Schwartzman, the great, great granddaughter of one of the Safeco Corporation founders, filed a lawsuit against him and the Safeco corporation, claiming that his $28 million salary upon leaving his job was fraudulent and wasteful. Knoll Lowney, a Seattle lawyer, represented Schwartzman. Supported teaching intelligent design In an August 2006 interview, McGavick said intelligent design should be taught in public schools and that it is appropriate to be taught in science class despite the 2005 court ruling prohibiting it. Timeline of 2006 Senate race On October 26, 2005, McGavick announced on KIRO Radio that he was an official candidate in the 2006 Senate race. In the May 2006 edition of the Weekly Standard, McGavick made the argument that Iran should be banned from the FIFA World Cup due to its nuclear weapons research program and statements by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad that deny