Michael Edward "Mike" Lowry (born March 8, 1939) served as the 20th Governor of 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 Washington from 1993 to 1997. Lowry is a 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...

.

Lowry was born and raised in St. John, Washington

St. John, Washington

St. John is a town in Whitman County, Washington, United States. The population was 537 at the 2010 census. St. John is the birthplace of the twentieth governor of Washington, Mike Lowry.-History:...

, and graduated from Washington State University

Washington State University

Washington State University is a public research university based in Pullman, Washington, in the Palouse region of the Pacific Northwest. Founded in 1890, WSU is the state's original and largest land-grant university...

 in 1962. He had a brief career working for the Washington State Senate and as a lobbyist for Group Health Cooperative

Group Health Cooperative

Group Health Cooperative, more commonly known as Group Health, is a Seattle, Washington based nonprofit healthcare organization. Established in 1947, it today provides coverage and care for about 700,000 people in Washington and Idaho and is one of the largest private employers in Washington...

 before being elected to the 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....

 Council in 1975. He was elected to 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 Washington's Seventh Congressional District

Washington's 7th congressional district

Washington's 7th congressional district encompasses most of Seattle, all of Vashon Island, and portions of Shoreline, Lake Forest Park, Tukwila, SeaTac, and Burien. Since 1989, the 7th District has been represented in the U.S...

 in 1978, where he served until 1989.

Lowry twice ran unsuccessfully for the United States Senate

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...

. In a 1983 special election

United States Senate special election in Washington, 1983

The United States Senate special election in Washington, 1983, was a special election to fill the seat which had been held by longtime Senator Henry Jackson. Daniel J. Evans, who had been appointed by Governor John Spellman, won the special election....

, he was defeated by 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...

 former Governor Dan Evans

Daniel 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....

, then an appointed Senator and the incumbent, in a race to replace Democrat Henry "Scoop" Jackson

Henry M. Jackson

Henry Martin "Scoop" Jackson was a U.S. Congressman and Senator from the state of Washington from 1941 until his death...

, and in 1988 he lost to Slade Gorton

Slade Gorton

Thomas Slade Gorton III 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...

, also a Republican, in a close race.

Lowry was elected governor in 1992 and served for a single 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

Sexual harassment

Sexual harassment, is intimidation, bullying or coercion of a sexual nature, or the unwelcome or inappropriate promise of rewards in exchange for sexual favors. In some contexts or circumstances, sexual harassment is illegal. It includes a range of behavior from seemingly mild transgressions and...

 scandal in which his deputy press secretary, Susanne Albright, accused him of making inappropriate remarks and fondling her. He was an unsuccessful candidate for Commissioner of Public Lands

Commissioner of Public Lands

Commissioner of Public Lands may refer to*Patrick H. Lyons – New Mexico State Land Commissioner*Peter J. Goldmark – Washington State Commissioner of Public Lands...

 in 2000. More recently, Lowry has been active in building affordable housing for Washington's migrant farm workers.

External links

• Congressional Papers at the University of Washington library