CNN
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Dan Evans, a well-liked three-term Republican governor of Washington state who went on to serve within the US Senate earlier than leaving in frustration as a result of he felt the chamber was too rancorous and tedious, has died. He was 98.
Evans died Friday, in keeping with the College of Washington, the place he had served as a regent and the place the Daniel J. Evans Faculty of Public Coverage and Governance bears his identify.
“Dan Evans was an honorable, independent-minded public servant who put Washington state first and devoted his life to defending and investing within the locations and other people in our state,” Democratic Sen. Patty Murray of Washington mentioned in an announcement Saturday. “We have been fortunate to have him — and I’ve little doubt his legacy will reside on for generations to come back.”
Evans was a dominant pressure in Washington politics for many years, and, till present Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee, he was the one individual to be elected governor 3 times. In an announcement posted to the social platform X, Inslee mentioned it was tough to consider one other resident who had such a constructive affect on so many features of the state.
“All of us, no matter our celebration, can really feel lucky for the progress he led throughout every of his three phrases as governor,” Inslee mentioned.
Born in 1925 in Seattle, Evans was a civil engineer earlier than coming into politics. He was elected to the state Legislature in 1956 and gained the governorship in 1964, beating incumbent two-term Democrat Albert D. Rosellini and prevailing in a nasty 12 months for his fellow Republicans, one which noticed President Lyndon Johnson soundly defeat the GOP’s Barry Goldwater.
Identified as a reasonable to liberal Republican, the avid outdoorsman helped add new recreation and park areas within the state and supported clear air and water laws. He created the nation’s first state Division of Ecology, which President Richard Nixon used as a mannequin for the Environmental Safety Company.
Evans additionally unsuccessfully pushed to create a state revenue tax. He opted to not run for a fourth time period.
“His legacy of coming collectively for the higher good, regardless of celebration traces, has impressed and can proceed to encourage public servants and the Evans Faculty group,” Jodi Sandfort, the college’s dean, mentioned in a assertion.
Sandfort recalled a quote from Evans: “Conducting good issues takes bipartisan effort, as a result of typically what we’re making an attempt to accomplish isn’t partisan.”
After leaving the governor’s mansion in 1977, Evans stayed in Olympia, serving as president of The Evergreen State Faculty. Evans had helped create the state faculty when he signed an act authorizing the liberal arts school, and as governor he additionally backed founding the state’s group school system.
He constructed a nationwide profile throughout his time main the state and was the keynote speaker on the 1968 Republican Nationwide Conference. He was talked about as a doable operating mate for President Gerald Ford in 1976. By no means a fan of Ronald Reagan, Evans supported Ford in 1976 and initially backed George H.W. Bush in 1980.
As a well-liked Republican in a predominantly Democratic state, it appeared that Evans can be a shoe-in had he determined to run for the US Senate. He regularly spurned such discuss, saying in 1972 that “I don’t like Washington, DC, very nicely … and I couldn’t stand to be within the Senate.”
Nevertheless, in 1983, Democratic Sen. Henry “Scoop” Jackson died in workplace, and Evans accepted an appointment to serve out his time period. Evans opted to not stand for election in 1988, citing the “tediousness of getting choices made.” On the time, he mentioned he was wanting ahead to returning house to benefit from the outside.
In later years, Evans served as a regent on the College of Washington, his alma mater. He additionally served on many nonprofit and company boards.
“Dad lived an exceptionally full life,” his sons – Dan Jr., Mark and Bruce Evans – mentioned in an announcement quoted by The Seattle Times.
“Whether or not serving in public workplace, working to enhance increased training, mentoring aspiring public servants … he simply saved signing up for stuff proper till the top. He touched a whole lot of lives. And he did this with out sacrificing household.”
Evans’ spouse, Nancy Bell Evans, died in January at age 90.