- John Spellman
Infobox Governor
name = John D. Spellman
order = 18th
office = Governor of Washington
term_start = 1981
term_end = 1985
lieutenant =
predecessor =Dixy Lee Ray
successor =Booth Gardner
birth_date = birth date and age|1926|12|29
birth_place =Seattle, Washington
death_date =
death_place =
party = Republican
spouse = Lois Spellman
children = Six
profession =
religion =John D. Spellman (born
December 29 ,1926 ) was theGovernor of Washington between 1981 and 1985; before that, he was a member of theKing County, Washington County Commission from 1967 to 1969 and theKing County Executive from 1969 to 1981. [ [http://historyink.org/essays/output.cfm?file_id=7674 HistoryLink Essay: Spellman, John D. (b. 1926) ] ] He was a Republican and his opponent in the 1980 election was then-State SenatorJim McDermott . Spellman was a 1949 graduate ofSeattle University and a 1953 graduate of theGeorgetown University Law Center .During Governor Spellman's four-year term of office,
Washington 's economy suffered a seriousrecession marked by risingunemployment and disappointingtax revenue s. The State Legislature was deeply divided over how to address an alarming revenue shortfall, but did agree to an increase in Washington's statewidesales tax rate from 5.5% to 6.5%.One of Governor Spellman's memorable policy stands was his strong commitment to
environmental protection . Against enormous pressure from business groups and many legislators, he ultimately used his authority to prevent permitting for an environmentally-risky development project byChicago Bridge & Iron in a sensitive shoreline area of Whatcom County.At the mid-term elections, the Democratic Party captured a major increase of seats in the House and Senate.
In September 1983, upon the untimely and unexpected death of
U.S. Senator Henry M. Jackson , Governor Spellman used his authority to appoint former Republican governorDaniel J. Evans to fill the vacantU.S. Senate seat. While the Democratic party protested the appointment of a Republican to fill the seat vacated by a Democrat, Spellman's appointment was considered lawful under the then-current statutes. As state law required an immediate primary andgeneral election for the remaining U.S. Senate seat term, a primary election was held just three weeks after Evans' interim appointment. At the general election in November 1983, appointed Senator Daniel J. Evans defeated a vigorous challenge by Democratic CongressmanMike Lowry .In 1984, Spellman ran for a second term of office, facing voter anxiety about the weak economy. After a vigorous Democratic primary between then-State Senator Jim McDermott, former state Representative John Jovanovich, and then-Pierce County Executive
Booth Gardner , Governor Spellman faced a difficult battle in the general election against Democratic nominee Gardner. In the November 1984 general election, voters decisively replaced Spellman with Gardner.Leaving office in January 1985, Governor Spellman returned to private law practice. In 1990 he ran for election as a justice of the
Washington Supreme Court , but was not elected.Governor Spellman was awarded the [http://munileague.org/awards/2006 James R. Ellis Regional Leadership Award] from [http://MuniLeague.org/ The Municipal League of King County] , on June 8, 2006. Spellman,
as of 2008 , is the last Republican to serve as governor of Washington state.Persondata
NAME=Spellaman, John D.
SHORT DESCRIPTION=US politician
DATE OF BIRTH=December 29 ,1926 References
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