Mary Alice Ford
Encyclopedia
Mary Alice Ford was a Republican
politician from the U.S. state
of Oregon
. A native of California
, the moderate and pro-choice Republican served in the Oregon House of Representatives
for 15 consecutive years representing Washington County
.
, California
on April 23, 1935. Graduating from high school at South Pasadena High School
in 1952, she enrolled at Stanford University
in Palo Alto, California
, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts
degree in education in 1956 from the Stanford University School of Education
. She married William Ford in 1957 and they had three children; Thomas, John, and Sherilyn. She later divorced William Ford, but retained the last name. Ford was a stay at home mother.
Republican, Ford was a member of the party's central committee for Washington County
from 1973 until 1979. In 1979, she was appointed to the Oregon House of Representatives
representing Garden Home in the eastern part of Washington County. Ford was appointed to the office after House member Mike Ragsdale resigned in order to be appointed to the Oregon State Senate
. Ford won the seat in the next election and was re-elected six times, serving a total of eight terms, through the 1993 legislative session. As a legislator, she worked to promote social services and health care and was appointed to the Architectural and Transportation Barrier Compliance Board in 1981 by President Ronald Reagan
. She served as chair of that board.
The 1992 Republican primary was a close election for Ford. The strength of her opponent, Sandra Nelson, reflected a changing Washington County Republican electorate that would sweep Ford out of office in the 1994 primary. At a debate at the Washington County Public Affairs Forum on Monday May 4, 1992 Ford and Nelson explained their differing views on various issues involving government interference in individual lives, and on the controversial Oregon Citizens Alliance
. Nelson stated that if elected, she would roll back laws requiring helmets for motorcycle riders and also author legislation to allow parents the right to determine if their children need to wear seat belts in cars, stating "government decisions can cause children to suffer". Ford disagreed with Nelson, stating: "A lot of people choose not to be responsible, society pays for their indifference through indigent care and higher insurance premiums". On the Oregon Citizens Alliance, the candidates also differed in their approaches to the group. Nelson supported the group, even though she questioned some of its specific policies. Ford again found herself opposite of Nelson, believing that such groups with narrow goals are not good for the state. In the general election she defeated Dennis Doyle, a computer consultant, to win what would be her final term in the legislature.
Ford lost her seat in the 1994 primary to Eileen Qutub, who went on to win the seat in the November election. She said of her opponents on the religious right after her defeat: "Quite frankly, I don't consider them Republicans, I consider them religious opportunists." In 1996, she ran to reclaim her House District 8 seat. The Oregonian
endorsed her in the Republican primary saying, "she was respected by lawmakers from both parties and thus was able to deliver quality service to her constituents even when a member of the minority party. That, in essence, defines the role of a good legislator." She would go on to lose to conservative Bill Moshofsky.
In 1998 Ford led a group of other moderate Republicans including Audrey McCall (wife of former Governor Tom McCall
), Washington County Commission Chairman Tom Brian, Sen. Jeannette Hamby
, former Secretary of State Clay Myers and Rep. Chuck Carpenter, and endorsed Democrat Ryan Deckert
in his race against Republican Henri Schauffler. The support from Mary Alice Ford and other republicans was highly valuable as the GOP held a slim voter registration edge in house district 8 at the time.
During the 2006 election she was critical of the same negative campaign tactics by "right-wing Republicans" that had defeated her in 1994. She believed that Republican congressional candidate Mike Erickson's attacks against Congresswomen Darlene Hooley
were "vicious and too egregious to let pass".
Ford died on November 27, 2008 after suffering from a major stroke earlier in the week. Ford was interred at Sunset Hills Memorial Park in Portland, Oregon
, on December 5, 2008.
Oregon Republican Party
The Oregon Republican Party is the state affiliate of the United States Republican Party in Oregon, headquartered in Lake Oswego. The first state party convention was held in Salem on April 21, 1859, and its first nominee for Congress, Portland attorney David Logan...
politician from the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. A native of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, the moderate and pro-choice Republican served in the Oregon House of Representatives
Oregon House of Representatives
The Oregon House of Representatives is the lower house of the Oregon Legislative Assembly. There are 60 members of the House, representing 60 districts across the state, each with a population of 57,000. The House meets at the Oregon State Capitol in Salem....
for 15 consecutive years representing Washington County
Washington County, Oregon
- Major highways :* Interstate 5* Interstate 205* U.S. Route 26* Oregon Route 6* Oregon Route 8* Oregon Route 10* Oregon Route 47* Oregon Route 99W* Oregon Route 210* Oregon Route 217* Oregon Route 219-Demographics:...
.
Early life
Ford was born Mary Alice Hood in Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
on April 23, 1935. Graduating from high school at South Pasadena High School
South Pasadena High School
South Pasadena High School is a public high school serving grades 9-12 located in the city of South Pasadena, California.The school is one of five schools in the South Pasadena Unified School District....
in 1952, she enrolled at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
in Palo Alto, California
Palo Alto, California
Palo Alto is a California charter city located in the northwest corner of Santa Clara County, in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, United States. The city shares its borders with East Palo Alto, Mountain View, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Stanford, Portola Valley, and Menlo Park. It is...
, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in education in 1956 from the Stanford University School of Education
Stanford University School of Education
The Stanford University School of Education , is one of the seven schools of Stanford University. It is the second-oldest school of education in the United States, after NYU...
. She married William Ford in 1957 and they had three children; Thomas, John, and Sherilyn. She later divorced William Ford, but retained the last name. Ford was a stay at home mother.
Political career
A pro-choicePro-choice
Support for the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-choice movement, a sociopolitical movement supporting the ethical view that a woman should have the legal right to elective abortion, meaning the right to terminate her pregnancy....
Republican, Ford was a member of the party's central committee for Washington County
Washington County, Oregon
- Major highways :* Interstate 5* Interstate 205* U.S. Route 26* Oregon Route 6* Oregon Route 8* Oregon Route 10* Oregon Route 47* Oregon Route 99W* Oregon Route 210* Oregon Route 217* Oregon Route 219-Demographics:...
from 1973 until 1979. In 1979, she was appointed to the Oregon House of Representatives
Oregon House of Representatives
The Oregon House of Representatives is the lower house of the Oregon Legislative Assembly. There are 60 members of the House, representing 60 districts across the state, each with a population of 57,000. The House meets at the Oregon State Capitol in Salem....
representing Garden Home in the eastern part of Washington County. Ford was appointed to the office after House member Mike Ragsdale resigned in order to be appointed to the Oregon State Senate
Oregon State Senate
The Oregon State Senate is the upper house of the state-wide legislature for the U.S. state of Oregon. Along with the lower chamber Oregon House of Representatives it makes up the Oregon Legislative Assembly. There are 30 members of the State Senate, representing 30 districts across the state,...
. Ford won the seat in the next election and was re-elected six times, serving a total of eight terms, through the 1993 legislative session. As a legislator, she worked to promote social services and health care and was appointed to the Architectural and Transportation Barrier Compliance Board in 1981 by President Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
. She served as chair of that board.
The 1992 Republican primary was a close election for Ford. The strength of her opponent, Sandra Nelson, reflected a changing Washington County Republican electorate that would sweep Ford out of office in the 1994 primary. At a debate at the Washington County Public Affairs Forum on Monday May 4, 1992 Ford and Nelson explained their differing views on various issues involving government interference in individual lives, and on the controversial Oregon Citizens Alliance
Oregon Citizens Alliance
The Oregon Citizens Alliance was a conservative Christian political activist organization, founded by Lon Mabon in the U.S. state of Oregon. It was founded in 1986 as a vehicle to challenge then–U.S...
. Nelson stated that if elected, she would roll back laws requiring helmets for motorcycle riders and also author legislation to allow parents the right to determine if their children need to wear seat belts in cars, stating "government decisions can cause children to suffer". Ford disagreed with Nelson, stating: "A lot of people choose not to be responsible, society pays for their indifference through indigent care and higher insurance premiums". On the Oregon Citizens Alliance, the candidates also differed in their approaches to the group. Nelson supported the group, even though she questioned some of its specific policies. Ford again found herself opposite of Nelson, believing that such groups with narrow goals are not good for the state. In the general election she defeated Dennis Doyle, a computer consultant, to win what would be her final term in the legislature.
Ford lost her seat in the 1994 primary to Eileen Qutub, who went on to win the seat in the November election. She said of her opponents on the religious right after her defeat: "Quite frankly, I don't consider them Republicans, I consider them religious opportunists." In 1996, she ran to reclaim her House District 8 seat. The Oregonian
The Oregonian
The Oregonian is the major daily newspaper in Portland, Oregon, owned by Advance Publications. It is the oldest continuously published newspaper on the U.S. west coast, founded as a weekly by Thomas J. Dryer on December 4, 1850...
endorsed her in the Republican primary saying, "she was respected by lawmakers from both parties and thus was able to deliver quality service to her constituents even when a member of the minority party. That, in essence, defines the role of a good legislator." She would go on to lose to conservative Bill Moshofsky.
Later years
After leaving the legislature she was named one of four 1994 Women of Achievement by the Oregon Commission for Women.In 1998 Ford led a group of other moderate Republicans including Audrey McCall (wife of former Governor Tom McCall
Tom McCall
Thomas Lawson McCall was an American politician and journalist in the state of Oregon. A Republican, he was the 30th Governor of Oregon from 1967 to 1975. A native of Massachusetts, he grew up there and in Central Oregon before attending the University of Oregon...
), Washington County Commission Chairman Tom Brian, Sen. Jeannette Hamby
Jeannette Hamby
Jeannette N. Hamby is an American politician and nurse in Oregon. A native of Minnesota, she worked as an airline attendant, nurse, and educator before entering local politics. A Republican, she served in both chambers of the Oregon Legislature, winning re-election three times to the Oregon State...
, former Secretary of State Clay Myers and Rep. Chuck Carpenter, and endorsed Democrat Ryan Deckert
Ryan Deckert
Ryan Deckert is the president of the Oregon Business Association. Prior to this position, Deckert, a Democratic politician from the US state of Oregon, served in the Oregon Senate, representing District 14, which includes parts of Beaverton and the Portland neighborhoods of Garden Home and Raleigh...
in his race against Republican Henri Schauffler. The support from Mary Alice Ford and other republicans was highly valuable as the GOP held a slim voter registration edge in house district 8 at the time.
During the 2006 election she was critical of the same negative campaign tactics by "right-wing Republicans" that had defeated her in 1994. She believed that Republican congressional candidate Mike Erickson's attacks against Congresswomen Darlene Hooley
Darlene Hooley
Darlene Kay Olson Hooley is a former Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Oregon who represented the state's . A native of North Dakota, she spent eight years teaching high school before entering politics when she was elected to the West Linn, Oregon city council in 1975...
were "vicious and too egregious to let pass".
Ford died on November 27, 2008 after suffering from a major stroke earlier in the week. Ford was interred at Sunset Hills Memorial Park in Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, on December 5, 2008.
Electoral history
| 1996 Republican Primary | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate Name | Votes | |
| Bill Moshofsky | 3,314 | |
| Mary Alice Ford | 1,911 | |
| 1994 Republican Primary | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate Name | Votes | |
| Eileen Qutub | 2,915 | |
| Mary Alice Ford | 1,609 | |
| Robert T. Nash | 238 | |
| 1992 General Election | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate Name | Votes | |
| Mary Alice Ford (R) | 10,407 | |
| Dennis Doyle (D) | 8,553 | |
| 1992 Republican Primary | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate Name | Votes | |
| Mary Alice Ford | 2,718 | |
| Sandra Nelson | 2,310 | |
| 1990 General Election | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate Name | Votes | |
| Mary Alice Ford (R) | 11,451 | |
| Jim Gennette (D) | 5,127 | |