Slade Gorton
Encyclopedia
Thomas Slade Gorton III (born January 8, 1928) is an American politician
. A Republican
, he was a U.S. senator
from Washington state from 1981 to 1987, and from 1989 to 2001. He held both of the state's Senate seats in his career and was narrowly defeated for reelection twice as an incumbent: in 1986 by Brock Adams
, and in 2000 by Maria Cantwell
after a recount. Gorton was twice both Senior Senator (1983–87, 1993–2001) and Junior Senator (1981–83, 1989–93).
from 1945 until 1946. He then attended and graduated from Dartmouth College
. He graduated from Columbia Law School
, and served in the United States Air Force
from 1953 until 1956, continuing to serve in the Air Force reserves until 1980. Meanwhile, he practiced law, and entered politics in 1958, being elected to the state legislature of Washington, in which he served from 1959 until 1969, becoming one of the highest-ranking members. He was then Attorney General of Washington from 1969 until he entered the United States Senate in 1981. During his three terms as Attorney General, Gorton was recognized for taking the unusual step of appearing personally to argue the state's positions before the Supreme Court of the United States and for prevailing in those efforts.
by a 54% to 46% margin.
.
, in 1988 and won, defeating liberal Congressman Mike Lowry
by a narrow margin.
In the Senate, Gorton had a moderate-to-conservative voting record, and was derided for what some perceived as strong hostility towards Indian tribes. His reelection strategy centered on running up high vote totals in areas outside of left-leaning King County
(home to Seattle).
Councilman Ron Sims
by 56% to 44% . He was an influential member of the Armed Services Committee as he was the only member of the committee during his tenure to have reached a senior command rank in the uniformed services (USAF).
He campaigned in Oregon for Gordon Smith and his successful 1996 Senate run.
Maria Cantwell
turned his "it's time for a change" strategy against him and won an upset victory by 2,229 votes.
Furthermore, Washington's Indian
tribes strongly opposed Gorton in 2000 because he consistently tried to weaken Indian sovereignty while in the Senate.
Twice during his tenure in the Senate, Gorton sat at the Candy desk
.
Commission") and the commission issued its final report in 2004. http://www.9-11commission.gov/about/bio_gorton.htm
In 2005, Gorton became the Chairman of the center-right Constitutional Law PAC
, a political action committee formed to help elect candidates to the Washington State Supreme Court and Court of Appeals
.
Gorton is an Advisory Board member for the Partnership for a Secure America
, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to recreating the bipartisan center in American national security and foreign policy. Gorton serves as a co-chair of the National Transportation Policy Project at the Bipartisan Policy Center
.
Gorton serves on the Board of Trustees of the National Constitution Center
in Philadelphia, which is a museum dedicated to the U.S. Constitution.
Gorton represented the city of Seattle in a lawsuit against Clayton Bennett
to try to keep the NBA
franchise formerly known as the Seattle SuperSonics
in Seattle according to a contract that would keep the team in Key Arena until 2010. The city reached a settlement with Bennett, allowing him to move the team to Oklahoma City
for $45 million with the possibility for another $30 million. For full article, see Seattle SuperSonics relocation to Oklahoma City
.
Politics of the United States
The United States is a federal constitutional republic, in which the President of the United States , Congress, and judiciary share powers reserved to the national government, and the federal government shares sovereignty with the state governments.The executive branch is headed by the President...
. 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...
, he was a U.S. senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
from Washington state from 1981 to 1987, and from 1989 to 2001. He held both of the state's Senate seats in his career and was narrowly defeated for reelection twice as an incumbent: in 1986 by Brock Adams
Brock Adams
Brockman "Brock" Adams was an American politician and member of Congress. Adams was a Democrat from Washington and served as a U.S. Representative, Senator, and United States Secretary of Transportation before retiring in January 1993.Adams was born in Atlanta, Georgia, and attended the public...
, and in 2000 by 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....
after a recount. Gorton was twice both Senior Senator (1983–87, 1993–2001) and Junior Senator (1981–83, 1989–93).
Background
Gorton was born in Chicago, Illinois and served in the United States ArmyUnited States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
from 1945 until 1946. He then attended and graduated from 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...
. He graduated from Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School, founded in 1858, is one of the oldest and most prestigious law schools in the United States. A member of the Ivy League, Columbia Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Columbia University in New York City. It offers the J.D., LL.M., and J.S.D. degrees in...
, and served in the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
from 1953 until 1956, continuing to serve in the Air Force reserves until 1980. Meanwhile, he practiced law, and entered politics in 1958, being elected to the state legislature of Washington, in which he served from 1959 until 1969, becoming one of the highest-ranking members. He was then Attorney General of Washington from 1969 until he entered the United States Senate in 1981. During his three terms as Attorney General, Gorton was recognized for taking the unusual step of appearing personally to argue the state's positions before the Supreme Court of the United States and for prevailing in those efforts.
1980
In 1980 he defeated longtime incumbent U.S. Senator and state legend Warren MagnusonWarren G. Magnuson
Warren Grant "Maggie" Magnuson was a United States Senator of the Democratic Party from Washington from 1944 until 1981. Upon leaving the Senate, he was the most senior member of the body...
by a 54% to 46% margin.
1986
He was narrowly defeated by former Congressman Brock AdamsBrock Adams
Brockman "Brock" Adams was an American politician and member of Congress. Adams was a Democrat from Washington and served as a U.S. Representative, Senator, and United States Secretary of Transportation before retiring in January 1993.Adams was born in Atlanta, Georgia, and attended the public...
.
1988
He ran for the state's other Senate seat, which was being vacated by political ally Dan EvansDaniel J. Evans
Daniel Jackson Evans served three terms as the 16th Governor of the state of Washington from 1965 to 1977, and represented the state in the United States Senate from 1983 to 1989....
, in 1988 and won, defeating liberal Congressman Mike Lowry
Mike Lowry
Michael Edward "Mike" Lowry served as the 20th Governor of the U.S. state of Washington from 1993 to 1997. Lowry is a Democrat.Lowry was born and raised in St. John, Washington, and graduated from Washington State University in 1962...
by a narrow margin.
In the Senate, Gorton had a moderate-to-conservative voting record, and was derided for what some perceived as strong hostility towards Indian tribes. His reelection strategy centered on running up high vote totals in areas outside of left-leaning King County
King County, Washington
King County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. The population in the 2010 census was 1,931,249. King is the most populous county in Washington, and the 14th most populous in the United States....
(home to Seattle).
1994
In 1994 he repeated the process, defeating then-King CountyKing County, Washington
King County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. The population in the 2010 census was 1,931,249. King is the most populous county in Washington, and the 14th most populous in the United States....
Councilman Ron Sims
Ron Sims
Ronald Cordell Sims, , is currently the Deputy Secretary of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, having been confirmed by the Senate on May 6, 2009 and sworn in on May 8. He is also the former King County Executive...
by 56% to 44% . He was an influential member of the Armed Services Committee as he was the only member of the committee during his tenure to have reached a senior command rank in the uniformed services (USAF).
He campaigned in Oregon for Gordon Smith and his successful 1996 Senate run.
2000
In 2000, DemocratDemocratic 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....
turned his "it's time for a change" strategy against him and won an upset victory by 2,229 votes.
Furthermore, Washington's Indian
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
tribes strongly opposed Gorton in 2000 because he consistently tried to weaken Indian sovereignty while in the Senate.
Twice during his tenure in the Senate, Gorton sat at the Candy desk
Candy desk
The candy desk is a tradition of the United States Senate established in 1968, according to the Senate Historical Office. The desk, located on the Republican side of the Senate chamber, was first stocked with candy and treats by Senator George Murphy. Those entrusted with the candy desk have...
.
Post-Senate years
In 2002, Gorton became a member of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (popularly known as the "9/11September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
Commission") and the commission issued its final report in 2004. http://www.9-11commission.gov/about/bio_gorton.htm
In 2005, Gorton became the Chairman of the center-right Constitutional Law PAC
Constitutional Law PAC
The Constitutional Law PAC is a political action committee formed in the state of Washington to help elect candidates to the Washington State Supreme Court and Washington State Court of Appeals...
, a political action committee formed to help elect candidates to the Washington State Supreme Court and Court of Appeals
Washington Court of Appeals
The Washington Court of Appeals is the intermediate level appellate court for the state of Washington.The court is divided into three divisions. Division I is based in Seattle, Division II is based in Tacoma, and Division III is based in Spokane....
.
Gorton is an Advisory Board member for the Partnership for a Secure America
Partnership for a Secure America
The Partnership for a Secure America is a policy center in the United States. It describes its mission as "recreating the bipartisan center in American national security and foreign policy."...
, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to recreating the bipartisan center in American national security and foreign policy. Gorton serves as a co-chair of the National Transportation Policy Project at the Bipartisan Policy Center
Bipartisan Policy Center
The is a non-profit organization that "drives principled solutions through rigorous analysis, reasoned negotiation, and respectful dialogue." Founded in 2007 by former Senate Majority Leaders Howard Baker, Tom Daschle, Bob Dole, and George Mitchell, "BPC combines politically-balanced policymaking...
.
Gorton serves on the Board of Trustees of the National Constitution Center
National Constitution Center
The National Constitution Center is an organization that seeks to expand awareness and understanding of the United States Constitution and operates a museum to advance those purposes....
in Philadelphia, which is a museum dedicated to the U.S. Constitution.
Gorton represented the city of Seattle in a lawsuit against Clayton Bennett
Clayton Bennett
Clayton "Clay" Ike' Bennett is an American businessman and chairman of the Professional Basketball Club LLC, the ownership group of the Oklahoma City Thunder NBA franchise that was formerly the Seattle SuperSonics...
to try to keep the NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
franchise formerly known as the Seattle SuperSonics
Seattle SuperSonics
The Seattle SuperSonics were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington that played in the Pacific and Northwest Divisions of the National Basketball Association from 1967 until 2008. Following the 2007–08 season, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, and now plays as...
in Seattle according to a contract that would keep the team in Key Arena until 2010. The city reached a settlement with Bennett, allowing him to move the team to Oklahoma City
Oklahoma city
Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...
for $45 million with the possibility for another $30 million. For full article, see Seattle SuperSonics relocation to Oklahoma City
Seattle SuperSonics relocation to Oklahoma City
The Seattle SuperSonics relocation to Oklahoma City was a successful effort by the ownership group of the Seattle SuperSonics to move the team to Oklahoma City...
.
External links
- Congressional Bio
- Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Preston Gates Ellis LLP ("K&L Gates") Lawyer Bio
- The Next Ten Years of Post-9/11 Security Efforts, Q&A with Slade Gorton (September 2011)