Brad Owen
Bradley "Brad" Owen (born May 23, 1950) is an American politician. He is a member of the Democratic Party and currently serves as the 15th Lieutenant Governor of Washington. Owen is the longest currently serving Lieutenant Governor in the United States.
Biography
Owen was a small business owner before entering politics. He was elected as Shelton City Finance Commissioner and to the Washington House of Representatives in 1976 and served in those capacities until 1983, when he was elected to the Washington State Senate. In 1989, he formed a non-profit organization called Strategies for Youth, first as a way to fight substance abuse among Washington's young people and later with a greater emphasis on bullying and respecting diversity. The program concluded in 2011.
Owen in 2000
In 1996, Owen moved from the legislature to the executive branch with his election as lieutenant governor. He was re-elected to that position in 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2012. Following findings by the state's Executive Ethics Commission that Owen improperly used tax-payer resources, which led to a $15,000 fine being imposed against him, Owen announced that he would not seek another term in the 2016 election. Prior to that announcement, three current legislators from his own party had already begun campaigning for his office.[1] His current term expires in January 2017. He will be succeeded in office by Cyrus Habib.
Owen is opposed to abortion, he campaigns against drug use and drug legalisation and he is described as "lukewarm" on gay rights.[2] He has received criticism for his work ethic, not working outside of the legislative calendar, working from home and prioritising his outside business interests ahead of his duties as Lieutenant Governor.[3] In September 2014 he was fined $15,000 for breaking state law by using state resources to run Strategies for Youth, his personal non-profit group.
On April 2, 2008, the King of Spain Juan Carlos I bestowed the Order of Isabella the Catholic, or Spanish knighthood, on Owen.[4]
Electoral history
Washington House of Representatives 24th District, Position 2 Democratic Primary Election, 1976 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
Democratic |
Brad Owen |
9,010 |
51.73 |
Democratic |
Leona Savage Osterman (inc.) |
8,408 |
48.27 |
Washington House of Representatives 24th District, Position 2 Election, 1976 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
Democratic |
Brad Owen |
22,042 |
62.94 |
Republican |
Irene Conca |
12,979 |
37.06 |
Washington House of Representatives 24th District, Position 1 Election, 1978 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
Democratic |
Brad Owen (inc.) |
18,563 |
100.00 |
Washington House of Representatives 24th District, Position 1 Election, 1980 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
Democratic |
Brad Owen (inc.) |
26,506 |
60.51 |
Republican |
Philip Sutherland |
17,301 |
39.49 |
Washington State Senate 35th District Democratic Primary Election, 1982 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
Democratic |
Brad Owen |
9,685 |
65.07 |
Democratic |
Joyce Jaros |
5,200 |
34.93 |
Washington State Senate 35th District Election, 1982 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
Democratic |
Brad Owen |
18,883 |
67.01 |
Republican |
Marlin Cronquist |
9,295 |
32.99 |
Washington State Senate 35th District Democratic Primary Election, 1986 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
Democratic |
Brad Owen (inc.) |
8,943 |
67.10 |
Democratic |
Edward Leaf |
3,088 |
23.17 |
Democratic |
Daniel Sanford |
1,297 |
9.73 |
Washington State Senate 35th District Election, 1986 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
Democratic |
Brad Owen (inc.) |
19,150 |
70.26 |
Republican |
Wayne Estes |
8,107 |
29.74 |
Washington State Senate 35th District Democratic Primary Election, 1990 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
Democratic |
Brad Owen (inc.) |
8,681 |
57.19 |
Democratic |
Dan Scott |
6,499 |
42.81 |
Washington State Senate 35th District Election, 1990 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
Democratic |
Brad Owen (inc.) |
16,749 |
61.54 |
Republican |
David Wood |
10,467 |
38.46 |
Washington State Senate 35 District Election, 1994 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
Democratic |
Brad Owen (inc.) |
24,265 |
67.40 |
Republican |
Meta Heller |
11,736 |
32.60 |
Washington Lieutenant Governor Democratic Primary Election, 1996 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
Democratic |
Brad Owen |
242,757 |
40.24 |
Democratic |
Paull Shin |
235,461 |
39.03 |
Democratic |
Bob Owen |
44,510 |
7.38 |
Democratic |
Bambi Lichtman |
34,326 |
5.69 |
Democratic |
Frank Gavaldon |
32,658 |
5.41 |
Democratic |
Harvey Billmaier |
13,613 |
2.26 |
Washington Lieutenant Governor Election, 1996 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
Democratic |
Brad Owen |
1,022,878 |
48.02 |
Republican |
Ann Anderson |
989,661 |
46.46 |
Reform |
Shawn Newman |
78,510 |
3.69 |
Libertarian |
Art Rathjen |
39,277 |
1.84 |
Washington Lieutenant Governor Democratic Primary Election, 2000 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
Democratic |
Brad Owen (inc.) |
502,523 |
79.33 |
Democratic |
Lonnie Williams, Sr. |
129,966 |
20.55 |
Washington Lieutenant Governor Election, 2000 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
Democratic |
Brad Owen (inc.) |
1,247,838 |
54.25 |
Republican |
Wm. "Mike" Elliott |
872,853 |
37.95 |
Libertarian |
Ruth Bennett |
179,567 |
7.81 |
Washington Lieutenant Governor Election, 2004 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
Democratic |
Brad Owen (inc.) |
1,443,505 |
54.39 |
Republican |
Jim Wiest |
1,019,790 |
38.43 |
Libertarian |
Jocelyn Langlois |
117,147 |
4.41 |
Green |
Bern Haggerty |
73,328 |
2.76 |
Washington Lieutenant Governor Primary Election, 2008 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
Democratic |
Brad Owen (inc.) |
706,641 |
52.08 |
Republican |
Marcia McCraw |
347,551 |
25.62 |
Republican |
Jim Wiest |
193,752 |
14.28 |
Democratic |
Randel Bell |
59,890 |
4.41 |
Constitution |
Arlene Peck |
48,887 |
3.60 |
Washington Lieutenant Governor Election, 2008 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
Democratic |
Brad Owen (inc.) |
1,718,033 |
60.80 |
Republican |
Marcia McCraw |
1,107,634 |
39.20 |
Washington Lieutenant Governor Primary Election, 2012 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
Democratic |
Brad Owen (inc.) |
648,110 |
48.51 |
Republican |
Bill Finkbeiner |
325,195 |
26.36 |
Independent Republican |
Glenn Anderson |
229,318 |
17.17 |
Independent |
James Robert Deal |
53,694 |
4.02 |
Democracy Independent |
Mark Greene |
46,534 |
3.48 |
Neopopulist |
Dave Sumner, IV |
6,057 |
0.45 |
Washington Lieutenant Governor Election, 2012 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
Democratic |
Brad Owen (inc.) |
1,575,133 |
53.68 |
Republican |
Bill Finkbeiner |
1,359,212 |
46.32 |
References
External links
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Next-in-line of succession for states and territories without lieutenant governors:
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