Mike Lowry

Mike Lowry
20th Governor of Washington
In office
January 13, 1993 – January 15, 1997
Lieutenant Joel Pritchard
Preceded by Booth Gardner
Succeeded by Gary Locke
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Washington's 7th district
In office
January 3, 1979 – January 3, 1989
Preceded by Jack Cunningham
Succeeded by Jim McDermott
Personal details
Born Michael Edward Lowry
(1939-03-08)March 8, 1939
St. John, Washington, U.S.
Died May 1, 2017(2017-05-01) (aged 78)
Olympia, Washington, U.S.
Political party Democratic
Spouse(s) Mary Lowry (m. 1968; his death 2017)
Education Washington State University, Pullman (BA)
Lowry in 2009

Michael Edward Lowry (March 8, 1939 – May 1, 2017) was an American politician and member of the Democratic Party who served as the 20th Governor of the U.S. state of Washington from 1993 to 1997 and was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Washington's 7th district between 1979 and 1989.

Life and career

Lowry was born and raised in St. John, Washington, the son of Helen (White) and Robert Lowry.[1] He graduated from Washington State University in 1962. He had a brief career working for the Washington State Senate and as a lobbyist for Group Health Cooperative before being elected to the King County Council in 1975. He was elected to the United States House of Representatives from Washington's Seventh Congressional District in 1978, where he served until 1989.

Lowry twice ran unsuccessfully for the United States Senate. In a 1983 special election, he was defeated by Republican former Governor Dan Evans, then an appointed Senator and the incumbent, in a race to replace Democrat Henry "Scoop" Jackson, and in 1988 he lost to Slade Gorton, also a Republican, in a close race. Lowry then began working at Seattle University and an environmental group.[2]

Lowry was elected governor in 1992 and served for a single term (to date, he is the last governor of Washington state to serve only one term). His principal policy initiative was enactment of a statewide system of health insurance with premiums based on ability to pay. He chose not to run for re-election to a second term due to a sexual harassment scandal in which his deputy press secretary, Susanne Albright, accused him of making inappropriate remarks and fondling her.[3] He was an unsuccessful candidate for Commissioner of Public Lands in 2000. More recently, Lowry was active in building affordable housing for Washington's migrant farm workers.

Lowry died on May 1, 2017 from complications of a stroke at the age of 78.[4][5]

Comparison to Yasser Arafat

During his career, Mike Lowry was repeatedly compared to Yasser Arafat by both media and political opponents in the state of Washington, due to a perceived similarity in physical appearance between the two. According to some reports, Lowry shaved off a beard he formerly sported specifically to avoid comparisons to the Palestinian leader.[6][7][8][9]

References

  1. ↑ http://www.historylink.org/File/8600
  2. ↑ The Associated Press (5 May 2017). "Mike Lowry, Ex-Congressman and Washington State Governor, Dies at 78". The New York Times. p. A24. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  3. ↑ "Governor Is Settling Harassment Charges". New York Times. 1995-07-15. Retrieved 2009-09-29.
  4. ↑ "Former Washington Gov. Mike Lowry has died". The Seattle Times. 2017-05-01. Retrieved 2017-05-01.
  5. ↑ "Mike Lowry, proudly progressive ex-governor, dies early on May Day". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. 2017-05-01. Retrieved 2017-05-01.
  6. ↑ "Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow? To Shave or Not to Shave, That's the Question". Associated Press. 27 April 1989. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
  7. ↑ Ferguson, Adele (12 June 2008). "Governor gabfest brings back memories". Port Orchard Independent. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
  8. ↑ Brus, Michael (9 August 2001). "Beards Why are they such a turnoff?". Slate. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
  9. ↑ Hughes, John. Slade Gorton: A Half-Century in Politics. Olympia, Washington: Washington State Legacy Project. p. 240. ISBN 1889320242.
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by
Jack Cunningham		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Washington's 7th congressional district
1979–1989 		Succeeded by
Jim McDermott
Party political offices
Preceded by
Henry M. Jackson		 Democratic nominee for U.S. Senator from Washington
(Class 1)
1983, 1988 		Succeeded by
Ron Sims
Preceded by
Booth Gardner		 Democratic nominee for Governor of Washington
1992 		Succeeded by
Gary Locke
Political offices
Preceded by
Booth Gardner		 Governor of Washington
1993–1997 		Succeeded by
Gary Locke
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