Scandals and scoundrels: A look back at Washington's history of governors
SEATTLE - As Washington voters cast their ballots in the first open governor’s race in 12 years, historians are revisiting the colorful and sometimes scandalous legacy of past governors. While today’s candidates trade barbs, Washington’s history is filled with figures whose actions could be considered far more contentious.
From the territorial era to the present, Washington’s governors have left a complicated legacy, marked by personal ambitions, brief tenures, and even controversy on the national stage.
Historian Feliks Banel points out that Washington has seen its share of "real doozies."
"Some scholar wrote about the string of men who came here and had no real impact and accomplished nothing, just because they were political appointments in this era of political patronage," Banel said.
LaFayette McMullen (left), John Rankin Rogers (middle), Samuel G. Cosgrove (right)
Scandals in the territorial era
In 1857, before Washington was even a state, President James Buchanan appointed Fayette McMullen as governor of the Washington Territory. According to Banel, McMullen’s motives were as personal as they were political.
"He wanted a ‘legislative divorce,’" Banel explained. "It was hard to get a divorce in Virginia, where he was from. He wanted to dump his wife and marry somebody new."
After his two-year term, McMullen did just that, marrying a Thurston County woman and returning with her to Virginia.
McMullen’s successor, Richard Gholson, another Buchanan appointee, lasted even less time. After Abraham Lincoln won the 1860 presidential election, Gholson, a staunch Democrat, resigned rather than serve under a Republican administration.
"He hightailed it back to Kentucky, took his enslaved people and moved them to Tennessee, died from a carriage wreck into a tree," said Banel.
New challenges in statehood
In 1909, with Washington now a state, the political climate was changing.
Voters elected Samuel Cosgrove as governor, but his term was cut tragically short. According to Banel, following Cosgrove’s inaugural speech, he requested an immediate leave of absence to recover from illness.
"They grant it to him, he goes to California, and he dies," Banel described.
Banel related Cosgrove's tenure to that of President William Henry Harrison, who also served a short time due to his untimely death.
Controversial governors in modern Washington
Of Washington’s 22 elected governors, only two have been women, and both faced significant controversies. Dixy Lee Ray, elected in 1976, is remembered for her turbulent relationship with the press.
"She took out grudges on members of the media," Banel recalled. "That was a pretty rough-and-tumble period."
Ray was also in charge when Mount St. Helens erupted. She faced criticism for her response to the eruption, especially regarding the enforcement of evacuation zones.
The 2004 election between Christine Gregoire and Dino Rossi brought another era of contention. The razor-thin margin led to recounts and lawsuits, fueling resentment that some say still lingers.
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