Christine Gregoire

Governor, WA

More About Christine Gregoire

While Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire presided over a productive legislative session this past winter, her GOP challenger, Dino Rossi, was free to rake in campaign funds — which he did, to the tune of $2.6 million, possibly more. Gregoire ceased fundraising in observance of Washington’s law prohibiting state officials from raising campaign funds for one month before the start of the legislative session in January, through adjournment in March. This 90-day freeze gave Rossi the opportunity to bring his fundraising total to $3 million while Gregoire was at a standstill. Now she must play catch-up in one of the most targeted governor’s races in the country.

In 2004, Gregoire defeated Rossi, a right-wing former state senator, by 133 votes, the narrowest margin in state history. Once the race was called, Gregoire quickly moved forward as governor, dramatically increasing funding for education, eliminating a $2.2 billion budget shortfall, and expanding health care coverage to more than 84,000 low-income children. The state’s business climate has improved so much under Gregoire that Forbes magazine named it one of the five best states in which to do business. Washington was one of only three states to receive an A- for management in the Pew Center on the States’ Grading the States 2008 report. In short, Gregoire has been the energetic, dynamic governor she promised she’d be in 2004 — all while contending with Republicans who, bitter over Rossi’s loss, relentlessly sought ways to undermine and attack her.

According to the AP, Gregoire has “made a career of shattering glass ceilings.” She was raised by her mother, who moved to Washington to escape an abusive husband and worked as a short-order cook. After college, Gregoire became a typist at a state prison. When she tried to move up the ladder, she was told, “I don’t need a token right now, but when I do, I’ll let you know.” She went to law school, became an assistant and then a deputy attorney general, headed up the state Department of Ecology, and was elected to three terms as attorney general, the first woman in state history to hold the office. Gregoire was the lead negotiator for the states in lawsuits against the tobacco industry, which resulted in the largest financial settlement in history.

Washington is the first and only state in the nation where women hold both U.S. Senate seats (Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell) and the governorship. All three women are pro-choice Democrats elected with support from EMILY’s List.

The Political Situation

While the state has been trending Democratic over the past few years, Washington remains a battleground, with a state Republican Party that is aggressive, determined, and vocal. Votes from Seattle and western counties helped boost Gregoire to victory in 2004. But the rural eastern part of the state tends to be more socially conservative, and Republicans are working hard to exploit that divide. Gregoire is one of the GOP’s top targets for defeat. The Washington Post labeled Washington one of the top GOP gubernatorial pick-up opportunities for 2008.

In his 2004 campaign, Rossi styled himself “a conservative with a social conscience,” but his record as a state senator reflects much conservatism and very little conscience. As chair of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, Rossi proposed cutting $47 million in funding for prenatal care for immigrant women and eliminating Medicaid coverage for more than 40,000 low-income children. He voted against allowing employees to use paid leave to care for sick family members. He tried to evade questions about abortion in 2004, enigmatically saying, “I’m not running for Supreme Court” when asked. But his voting record is firmly anti-choice and he campaigned against a ballot initiative that codified Roe v. Wade into state law. In a recent speech, Rossi spoke nostalgically of a time before abortion was legal, saying “Back 90, 100 years ago, we had options and alternatives. We had homes for unwed mothers....” He recently announced he supports a judicial ruling allowing pharmacists to refuse to fill prescriptions for emergency contraception.

Even before he was a candidate, Rossi found a way to raise money for a shadow campaign under the auspices of a nonprofit called Forward Washington Foundation. Through this tax-exempt foundation, Rossi was able to circumvent Washington campaign finance laws and raise unlimited funds from unreported sources. Rossi’s foundation employed members of his 2004 campaign staff and paid him an annual salary of $75,000 to make as many as five speeches a week that mirrored his 2004 stump speech. Washington Democrats filed a complaint with the Public Disclosure Commission saying Rossi’s foundation was a cover for his campaign.

Rossi spent more than $6 million in 2004, augmented by $1.7 million from the Republican Governors Association. He’s expected to spend far more than that in 2008. And his right-wing allies will chip in with money and negative attacks. One group, the ultra-conservative Building Industry Association of Washington, recently sent out a mailing labeling Gregoire “a heartless, power-hungry she-wolf who would eat her own young.”

While her outstanding record as governor makes Gregoire a much harder target this time, observing the fundraising freeze put additional pressure on her campaign to raise the $15 million it needs to fend off this well-financed opponent and secure a second term.

The Issues

Gregoire, who has been endorsed by the Washington Education Association, has made education the cornerstone of her agenda, dramatically increasing funding for public schools and making higher education more affordable. She fought for and signed legislation establishing the Department of Early Learning, a cabinet-level agency. Her administration instituted all-day kindergarten in the state; forged public-private partnerships that provide $100 million to prepare students for college; expanded access to financial aid; and capped tuition at state colleges and universities. She fought for smaller classes, higher salaries for teachers, and more funding for research at state universities.

Gregoire reversed the budgetary mess she inherited as governor, making government more efficient and restoring vibrancy to Washington’s business climate. She increased the state’s reserves and lobbied the legislature for a constitutional amendment to create a “rainy day” fund — all without cutting vital social services. During her first term, welfare rolls have dropped to 1967 levels (even indexing for population growth) and more than 225,000 jobs have been created, most of them middle- and high-income positions. The state has streamlined bureaucracy and reduced red tape, creating a welcoming business environment that has spurred economic growth. Washington is the only state to be ranked among the top five in all three categories Forbes looked at: labor, regulatory environment, and growth.

“While progress has been made, justice and equality remain elusive for many,” says Gregoire. “I’m proud of my record of fighting for equality for all of our citizens.” Under Gregoire, Washington added sexual orientation to state anti-discrimination laws and implemented legislation requiring the state to recognize domestic partnerships for same-sex couples. “With 29 federally recognized tribes, we continue to press for the rights of Native Americans in Washington,” Gregoire adds. Other Gregoire priorities are ensuring pay equity, strengthening hate crimes laws, and eliminating predatory lending.

Gregoire has instigated dramatic changes to Washington’s criminal justice system, enhancing public safety and expanding protections for the most vulnerable citizens. She was a vociferous advocate for the state’s hate crimes statute, which includes crimes against people on the basis of race, religion, or sexual orientation. She created a special unit in the attorney general’s office to prosecute those who abuse or neglect senior citizens. She strengthened the state’s domestic violence laws and helped pass legislation to address bullying in schools, a frequent cause of school violence. As governor, Gregoire has expanded on this record, improving emergency communications, investing in tools to help law enforcement fight crime, and reducing repeat criminal activity by targeting the root causes of crime.

“Our nation’s health care crisis needs national solutions,” Gregoire says. “But I am not standing by and waiting for the federal government to act. Since entering office, my administration has laid the foundation for ensuring that all Washingtonians have access to high-quality, affordable health care.” Gregoire wants to make Washington the first state in the nation to cover all children, which she hopes to achieve by 2010. The state also provides prescription drug coverage to help seniors and low-income individuals.

Gregoire’s efforts to protect Washington’s natural resources have earned her the trust and respect of environmental and business leaders. “The health of our environment is essential to our quality of life and to the strength of our economy,” Gregoire says. “We all need clean air to breathe, water to drink, and irrigation to grow the crops we depend on.” In 2006, she formed a partnership of environmentalists, local government officials, and tribal and business leaders to restore and preserve the Puget Sound. Her office continues to press the federal government to follow through with promised funding to clean up the Hanford Nuclear Reservation, an effort she began over 17 years ago as director of the state Department of Ecology. Gregoire recently signed into law a bill to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Washington, increase the state’s energy independence, and promote the creation of “green collar” jobs.

Throughout her career, Gregoire has been a stalwart advocate for reproductive freedom. She helped draft the language in the Democratic Party platform defining the party as pro-choice. As governor, she negotiated an agreement to ensure women have access to emergency contraception regardless of pharmacists’ moral objections, and secured state funding to make up for federal cuts to family planning services.

May 2008