Christine Gregoire
Party: Democrat
Age: 57
Personal: Married, with two college-age daughters
Education: Gregoire graduated from Auburn High School, near Seattle, in 1965, and graduated from the University of Washington in 1969, with a teaching certificate and a bachelor’s degree in speech and sociology. She got her law degree from Gonzaga University in 1977.
Professional: After graduating from the University of Washington, Gregoire went to work as a “clerk-typist 2” for what was then called Adult Probation and Parole, now the state Department of Corrections. She was promoted eventually to regional head of the Office of Special Investigations, working on welfare fraud cases. While in law school, she went to work at the state Attorney General’s office in Spokane, working on social service cases, consumer protection and education cases. After living in Spokane from 1974 to 1982, Gregoire became the first female deputy attorney general in state history, and moved to Olympia. She was appointed Director of the state Department of Ecology from 1988-92.
Political: Gregoire was elected Attorney General in 1992, a post she still holds.
Key issues: Gregoire said jobs and the economy are a top priority, and she says she wants the state to have 250,000 new jobs within four years. Improving the state’s education system, from pre-school programs through university, is also high on Gregoire’s list. Teachers must be paid more, she said, and colleges must be ready for a predicted surge in freshmen and transfers. “I think priority No. 1 has to be stopping the hemorrhaging of our young folks dropping out of high school,” she said. “Those kids are not going to have a shot at a good job – or probably any job – and they’ll probably end up back in the social service system.” Another key focus, she said, will be expanding health care, particularly for children. She wants the state to pool its massive medical purchasing power and allow small employers to piggyback onto that, so they can afford to provide health insurance for their workers. Doctors and clinics who provide care for the poor must also be reimbursed more, she said. Where to get that money? Gregoire said the state must fight for a bigger slice of the federal medical budget.
Money raised/spent: $2.77 million. Total from Spokane area: $116,500
Top contributors: Top contributors from Spokane area: Chris Marr (auto dealer), $2,000; Chris Carlson (public relations executive), $1,500; Wash. State Patrol Troopers Assn., $1,350; Inland Northwest PAC, $1,250; Avista employees, $1,000.
Quote: “I’m a fiscal conservative, socially progressive.”
Key influence: President John F. Kennedy.
Favorite book: “Profiles in Courage”, by John F. Kennedy
First priority if elected: To spur jobs and improve the economy. “As Kennedy once said, the best social policy is a good job.”
