Mike Lowry
20th Governor of Washington
In office
January 13, 1993 – January 15, 1997
LieutenantJoel Pritchard
Preceded byBooth Gardner
Succeeded byGary Locke
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Washington's 7th district
In office
January 3, 1979 – January 3, 1989
Preceded byJack Cunningham
Succeeded byJim McDermott
Member of the King County Council
from the 6th district
In office
January 1, 1976 – January 3, 1979
Preceded byTom Forsythe
Succeeded byPat Thorpe
Personal details
Born
Michael Edward Lowry

(1939-03-08)March 8, 1939
St. John, Washington, U.S.
DiedMay 1, 2017(2017-05-01) (aged 78)
Resting placeBethel Cemetery
Steptoe, Washington
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse
Mary Carlson
​
(m. 1968)​
Children1
EducationWashington State University (BA)

Michael Edward Lowry (March 8, 1939 – May 1, 2017) was an American politician who served as the 20th governor of Washington from 1993 to 1997. His political career ended abruptly following a sexual misconduct allegation made against him by his deputy press secretary, Susanne Albright.[1] A member of the Democratic Party, Lowry served as a United States Representative from Washington's 7th congressional district from 1979 to 1989.

Early life

Lowry was born and raised in St. John, Washington, son of Helen (nee White) and Robert Lowry.[2] He graduated from Washington State University in 1962.

Political career

Lowry 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. In 1988, he lost to Slade Gorton, also a Republican, in a close race. Lowry then began working at Seattle University and at an environmental group.[3]

Governor of Washington (1993–1997)

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 a statewide system of health insurance with premiums based on ability to pay. He chose not to run for reelection due to a sexual harassment scandal in which his deputy press secretary, Susanne Albright, accused him of making inappropriate remarks and fondling her.[4] He was an unsuccessful candidate for Commissioner of Public Lands in 2000, and was later active in building affordable housing for Washington's migrant farm workers.

Personal life

Lowry in 2009

Lowry married Mary Carlson in 1968, and they had a daughter. He died from complications of a stroke on May 1, 2017, at the age of 78.[5][6]

During Lowry's career, he was often 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.[7][8][9][10]

References

  1. ↑ "Former Washington Gov. Mike Lowry dies at age 78". KING. Retrieved September 22, 2018.
  2. ↑ "Lowry, Michael Edward "Mike" (1939-2017)".
  3. ↑ The Associated Press (May 5, 2017). "Mike Lowry, Ex-Congressman and Washington State Governor, Dies at 78". The New York Times. p. A24. Retrieved May 15, 2017.
  4. ↑ "Governor Is Settling Harassment Charges". New York Times. July 15, 1995. Retrieved September 29, 2009.
  5. ↑ "Former Washington Gov. Mike Lowry has died". The Seattle Times. May 1, 2017. Retrieved May 1, 2017.
  6. ↑ "Mike Lowry, proudly progressive ex-governor, dies early on May Day". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. May 1, 2017. Retrieved May 1, 2017.
  7. ↑ "Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow? To Shave or Not to Shave, That's the Question". Associated Press. April 27, 1989. Retrieved September 19, 2014.
  8. ↑ Ferguson, Adele (June 12, 2008). "Governor gabfest brings back memories". Port Orchard Independent. Retrieved September 19, 2014.
  9. ↑ Brus, Michael (August 9, 2001). "Beards Why are they such a turnoff?". Slate. Retrieved September 19, 2014.
  10. ↑ Hughes, John (2011). Slade Gorton: A Half-Century in Politics. Olympia, Washington: Washington State Legacy Project. p. 240. ISBN 978-1889320243.
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