Rick White (politician)
Encyclopedia
Richard Alan White is an American
politician, who served in the United States House of Representatives
from 1995 to 1999. He represented of Washington as a Republican
, earning close ties with the Christian Coalition.
White was born and raised in Bloomington, Indiana
. He attended Dartmouth College
and studied abroad at the University of Paris
. White received his law
degree from Georgetown University
in 1980. He was first hired as a law clerk to Washington Federal Court of Appeals
Judge Charlie Clark and later became a successful attorney. In 1986, he dabbled in politics for the first time, earning a term on the Queen Anne, Seattle, Washington
community council.
White first won election to the House in 1994 against Democrat
Maria Cantwell
. Part of White's campaign focused on his being married while Cantwell was a single female. However, while in Washington he divorced his wife. White served on the Committee on Energy and Commerce
and sponsored the Internet Protection Act. He won re-election for a second term in 1996, but was defeated by Democrat Jay Inslee
in 1998, and was believed to be one of the Republicans removed from office due to his vote in favor of President Bill Clinton
's impeachment. In addition, a right-wing
spoiler
candidate, Bruce Craswell, took 6 percent of the vote in the General Election
. Running on a pro-life
platform, Craswell's third party
candidacy ate into the traditional Republican base. White had exceeded 50% of the vote in 1994 and 1996, but the Craswell factor left him with less than 45% in 1998.
1st Congressional District election results
White became CEO of TechNet
, the technology industry lobbying group, based in Palo Alto, California
. In early 2005 he left that position, and was considering another run against Maria Cantwell in 2006. But he chose instead to drop out of the race and endorse Republican Mike McGavick
.
On March 17, 2007 the Seattle Times reported, "Former Republican congressman Rick White, one of three candidates the Republicans have submitted to replace John McKay
as U.S. attorney for Western Washington, cannot practice law in the state. White's license was suspended by the state Supreme Court in August 2003 for failure to pay his bar dues. He was reinstated to the bar in 2005 after paying a small fee, but currently holds an 'inactive' status" which is common for attorneys that are not actively practicing law.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician, who served in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from 1995 to 1999. He represented of Washington as a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
, earning close ties with the Christian Coalition.
White was born and raised in Bloomington, Indiana
Bloomington, Indiana
Bloomington is a city in and the county seat of Monroe County in the southern region of the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 80,405 at the 2010 census....
. He attended Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
and studied abroad at the University of Paris
University of Paris
The University of Paris was a university located in Paris, France and one of the earliest to be established in Europe. It was founded in the mid 12th century, and officially recognized as a university probably between 1160 and 1250...
. White received his law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
degree from Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
in 1980. He was first hired as a law clerk to Washington Federal Court of Appeals
Court of Appeals
A court of appeals is an appellate court generally.Court of Appeals may refer to:*Military Court of Appeals *Corte d'Assise d'Appello *Philippine Court of Appeals*High Court of Appeals of Turkey*United States courts of appeals...
Judge Charlie Clark and later became a successful attorney. In 1986, he dabbled in politics for the first time, earning a term on the Queen Anne, Seattle, Washington
Queen Anne, Seattle, Washington
Queen Anne Hill is a neighborhood and geographic feature in Seattle, Washington, northwest of downtown. The neighborhood sits on the highest named hill in the city, with a maximum elevation of . It covers an area of , and has a population of about 28,000...
community council.
White first won election to the House in 1994 against Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Maria Cantwell
Maria Cantwell
Maria E. Cantwell is the junior United States Senator from the state of Washington and a member of the Democratic Party....
. Part of White's campaign focused on his being married while Cantwell was a single female. However, while in Washington he divorced his wife. White served on the Committee on Energy and Commerce
United States House Committee on Energy and Commerce
The Committee on Energy and Commerce is one of the oldest standing committees of the United States House of Representatives. Established in 1795, it has operated continuously—with various name changes and jurisdictional changes—for more than 200 years...
and sponsored the Internet Protection Act. He won re-election for a second term in 1996, but was defeated by Democrat Jay Inslee
Jay Inslee
Jay Robert Inslee is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1999. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes many of Seattle's northern suburbs in King, Snohomish, and Kitsap counties...
in 1998, and was believed to be one of the Republicans removed from office due to his vote in favor of President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
's impeachment. In addition, a right-wing
Right-wing politics
In politics, Right, right-wing and rightist generally refer to support for a hierarchical society justified on the basis of an appeal to natural law or tradition. To varying degrees, the Right rejects the egalitarian objectives of left-wing politics, claiming that the imposition of equality is...
spoiler
Spoiler effect
The spoiler effect describes the effect a minor party candidate with little chance of winning has in a close election, when that candidate's presence in the election draws votes from a major candidate similar to them, thereby causing a candidate dissimilar to them to win the election...
candidate, Bruce Craswell, took 6 percent of the vote in the General Election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
. Running on a pro-life
Pro-life
Opposition to the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-life, or anti-abortion, movement, a social and political movement opposing elective abortion on moral grounds and supporting its legal prohibition or restriction...
platform, Craswell's third party
Third party (politics)
In a two-party system of politics, the term third party is sometimes applied to a party other than the two dominant ones. While technically the term is limited to the third largest party or third oldest party, it is common, though innumerate, shorthand for any smaller party.For instance, in the...
candidacy ate into the traditional Republican base. White had exceeded 50% of the vote in 1994 and 1996, but the Craswell factor left him with less than 45% in 1998.
1st Congressional District election results
White became CEO of TechNet
TechNet (lobbying organization)
TechNet is a United States political lobbying organization which represents public policy interests for technology issues. TechNet operates through a network of CEOs and Senior Executives to promote the growth of technology and the innovation economy...
, the technology industry lobbying group, based 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...
. In early 2005 he left that position, and was considering another run against Maria Cantwell in 2006. But he chose instead to drop out of the race and endorse Republican Mike McGavick
Mike McGavick
Michael S. "Mike" McGavick is an American business executive and a graduate of the University of Washington....
.
On March 17, 2007 the Seattle Times reported, "Former Republican congressman Rick White, one of three candidates the Republicans have submitted to replace John McKay
John McKay (attorney)
John Larkin McKay is a former United States Attorney for the Western District of Washington.John Larkin McKay, a member of a prominent Republican family in the state, attended the University of Washington, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science in 1978...
as U.S. attorney for Western Washington, cannot practice law in the state. White's license was suspended by the state Supreme Court in August 2003 for failure to pay his bar dues. He was reinstated to the bar in 2005 after paying a small fee, but currently holds an 'inactive' status" which is common for attorneys that are not actively practicing law.