Slade Gorton papers, 1952 - 1999

Thomas Slade Gorton III was a lawyer and politician born in Chicago on January 8, 1928. After receiving degrees from Dartmouth College and Columbia Law School, Gorton served in the United States Army and the Air Force. He retired as a colonel in 1980.

Gorton's political career in Washington State spanned over four decades. He started as a state representative in 1959 and served as the Washington State House of Representatives majority leader. In 1968 Gorton was elected Attorney General of Washington, becoming recognized for his consumer protection work.

In 1980 Gorton was elected into the U.S. Senate, where he served two non-consecutive terms from 1981-1987 and 1989-2001. He was the last Republican to represent Washington State in the Senate for either seat. Gorton served on many noteworthy committees including Appropriations, Budget, Energy and Natural Resources, Commerce, and Science and Transportation. He also chaired important subcommittees where he was known for bipartisan cooperation and legislative impact on issues like environmental protection and public safety.

Outside the Senate Gorton played a significant role in keeping Major League Baseball in Seattle, helping to secure local ownership for the Mariners. He also was a member of the 9/11 Commission, and held leadership and advisory roles in numerous organizations like the National Bureau of Asian Research and the Bipartisan Policy Center.

Gorton died after a brief illness with complications of Parkinson's disease on August 19, 2020 in Clyde Hill, Washington, aged 92.

GORTON, Thomas Slade, III. Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Accessed July 23, 2025. https://bioguide.congress.gov/search/bio/G000333

Slade Gorton. Wikipedia. Accessed July 23, 2025. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slade_Gorton