Jay Robert Inslee (born February 9, 1951) is an American politician, currently serving as U.S. Representative from Washington's First Congressional District (north of Seattle, including parts of King, Snohomish, and Kitsap counties). He is a Democrat.
Born in Bainbridge Island, Washington, he graduated from Seattle's Ingraham High School and the University of Washington (B.A., Economics) and Willamette University School of Law. After a decade working as an attorney in Selah, Washington, Inslee was elected to the Washington State House of Representatives in 1988, where he served until 1992, when he was elected to Congress representing Washington's Fourth Congressional District (central Washington). He lost his bid for re-election in the Republican Revolution of 1994 (to Doc Hastings), a defeat often attributed in large part to his vote in favor of the assault weapons ban.
Inslee moved to western Washington and briefly resumed the practice of law before running for governor in 1996 and losing in the Democratic primary to Gary Locke. President Bill Clinton subsequently appointed Regional Director for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, a position he shortly left to again run for Congress in 1998, this time in the First Congressional District against two-term incumbent Rick White. His campaign attracted national attention when he became the first Democratic candidate to air television ads attacking his opponent, and the Republican congressional leadership, for the impeachment of President Clinton. He narrowly won, with 49.8% to White's 44.1%, aided by the presence of a religious right third party candidate, Bruce Craswell (the husband of 1996 GOP gubernatorial nominee Ellen Craswell ).
Though the First is historically a swing district (changing hands twice in the 1990s), Republicans have had a difficult time fielding a serious challenger to Inslee, who was re-elected in 2000 (54.6%), 2002 (55.6%), and 2004 (62.3%). In Spring 2004, after then-Governor Gary Locke announced his retirement, Inslee briefly flirted with a gubernatorial bid before deciding to remain in Congress.
Regarded by many as a Clintonian "New Democrat" when first elected, Inslee has accumulated a suprisingly liberal voting record for a suburban congressman, and has been an outspoken critic of the Bush administration's decision to invade Iraq. He sits on the Financial Services Committee, the Resources Committee , and the Energy and Commerce Committee.
Representative History
Elections
| Date | Position | Status | Opponent | Result | Vote
percent | Opponent's
vote percent
|
| 1988 | WA Representative | | | Elected
|
| 1990 | WA Representative | Incumbent | | Re-elected
|
| 1992 | U.S. Representative | Open seat | | Elected
|
| 1994 | U.S. Representative | Incumbent | Doc Hastings (R) | Defeated
|
| 1996 | WA Governor | Open seat primary | Gary Locke (D), others | Defeated
|
| 1998 | U.S. Representative | Challenger | Rick White (R) | Elected | 50% | 44%
|
| 2000 | U.S. Representative | Incumbent | | Re-elected | 55%
|
| 2002 | U.S. Representative | Incumbent | | Re-elected | 56%
|
| 2004 | U.S. Representative | Incumbent | Randy Eastwood (R)
Charles Moore (L) | Re-elected | 62% | 36%
2%
|
External links
