Bradley Scott Owen (born May 23, 1950) is an American businessman and politician who served as the 15th Lieutenant Governor of Washington from 1997 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was previously elected to the Washington State Legislature from 1977 to 1997, spending six years in the Washington House of Representatives and fourteen years in the Washington State Senate.

Brad Owen
15th Lieutenant Governor of Washington
In office
January 15, 1997 – January 11, 2017
GovernorGary Locke
Christine Gregoire
Jay Inslee
Preceded byJoel Pritchard
Succeeded byCyrus Habib
Member of the Washington Senate
from the 35th district
In office
January 10, 1983 – January 15, 1997
Preceded byRuthe Ridder
Succeeded byLena Swanson
Member of the Washington House of Representatives
from the 24th district
In office
January 10, 1977 – January 10, 1983
Preceded byLeona Savage Osterman
Succeeded byRichard Fisch
Personal details
Born
Bradley Scott Owen

(1950-05-23) May 23, 1950 (age 74)
Tacoma, Washington, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseLinda Owen
Children6
WebsiteGovernment website

Biography

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Owen was born and raised in Tacoma, Washington. He was a small business owner before entering politics. He was elected as Shelton City Finance Commissioner and to the Washington House of Representatives in 1976 and served in those capacities until 1983, when he was elected to the Washington State Senate. In 1989, he formed a non-profit organization called Strategies for Youth, first as a way to fight substance abuse among Washington's young people and later with a greater emphasis on bullying and respecting diversity. The program concluded in 2011.[citation needed]

 
Owen in 2000

In 1996, Owen moved from the legislature to the executive branch with his election as lieutenant governor. He was re-elected to that position in 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2012. Following findings by the state's Executive Ethics Commission that Owen improperly used tax-payer resources, which led to a $15,000 fine being imposed against him, Owen announced that he would not seek another term in the 2016 election. Prior to that announcement, three current legislators from his own party had already begun campaigning for his office.[1] His final term expired in January 2017. He was succeeded in office by Cyrus Habib.

Owen is opposed to abortion, he campaigns against drug use and drug legalisation and he is described as "lukewarm" on gay rights.[2] He has received criticism for his work ethic, not working outside of the legislative calendar, conducting remote work and prioritizing his outside business interests ahead of his duties as Lieutenant Governor.[3] In September 2014, he was fined $15,000 for breaking state law by using state resources to run Strategies for Youth, his personal non-profit group.[3]

On April 2, 2008, the King of Spain Juan Carlos I bestowed the Order of Isabella the Catholic, or Spanish knighthood, on Owen.[4]

Electoral history

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Washington House of Representatives 24th District, Position 2 Democratic Primary Election, 1976
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Brad Owen 9,010 51.73
Democratic Leona Savage Osterman (inc.) 8,408 48.27
Washington House of Representatives 24th District, Position 2 Election, 1976
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Brad Owen 22,042 62.94
Republican Irene Conca 12,979 37.06
Washington House of Representatives 24th District, Position 1 Election, 1978
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Brad Owen (inc.) 18,563 100.00
Washington House of Representatives 24th District, Position 1 Election, 1980
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Brad Owen (inc.) 26,506 60.51
Republican Philip Sutherland 17,301 39.49
Washington State Senate 35th District Democratic Primary Election, 1982
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Brad Owen 9,685 65.07
Democratic Joyce Jaros 5,200 34.93
Washington State Senate 35th District Election, 1982
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Brad Owen 18,883 67.01
Republican Marlin Cronquist 9,295 32.99
Washington State Senate 35th District Democratic Primary Election, 1986
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Brad Owen (inc.) 8,943 67.10
Democratic Edward Leaf 3,088 23.17
Democratic Daniel Sanford 1,297 9.73
Washington State Senate 35th District Election, 1986
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Brad Owen (inc.) 19,150 70.26
Republican Wayne Estes 8,107 29.74
Washington State Senate 35th District Democratic Primary Election, 1990
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Brad Owen (inc.) 8,681 57.19
Democratic Dan Scott 6,499 42.81
Washington State Senate 35th District Election, 1990
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Brad Owen (inc.) 16,749 61.54
Republican David Wood 10,467 38.46
Washington State Senate 35 District Election, 1994
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Brad Owen (inc.) 24,265 67.40
Republican Meta Heller 11,736 32.60
Washington Lieutenant Governor Democratic Primary Election, 1996
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Brad Owen 242,757 40.24
Democratic Paull Shin 235,461 39.03
Democratic Bob Owen 44,510 7.38
Democratic Bambi Lichtman 34,326 5.69
Democratic Frank Gavaldon 32,658 5.41
Democratic Harvey Billmaier 13,613 2.26
Washington Lieutenant Governor Election, 1996
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Brad Owen 1,022,878 48.02
Republican Ann Anderson 989,661 46.46
Reform Shawn Newman 78,510 3.69
Libertarian Art Rathjen 39,277 1.84
Washington Lieutenant Governor Democratic Primary Election, 2000
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Brad Owen (inc.) 502,523 79.33
Democratic Lonnie Williams, Sr. 129,966 20.55
Washington Lieutenant Governor Election, 2000
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Brad Owen (inc.) 1,247,838 54.25
Republican Wm. "Mike" Elliott 872,853 37.95
Libertarian Ruth Bennett 179,567 7.81
Washington Lieutenant Governor Election, 2004
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Brad Owen (inc.) 1,443,505 54.39
Republican Jim Wiest 1,019,790 38.43
Libertarian Jocelyn Langlois 117,147 4.41
Green Bern Haggerty 73,328 2.76
Washington Lieutenant Governor Primary Election, 2008
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Brad Owen (inc.) 706,641 52.08
Republican Marcia McCraw 347,551 25.62
Republican Jim Wiest 193,752 14.28
Democratic Randel Bell 59,890 4.41
Constitution Arlene Peck 48,887 3.60
Washington Lieutenant Governor Election, 2008
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Brad Owen (inc.) 1,718,033 60.80
Republican Marcia McCraw 1,107,634 39.20
Washington Lieutenant Governor Primary Election, 2012
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Brad Owen (inc.) 648,110 48.51
Republican Bill Finkbeiner 325,195 26.36
Independent Republican Glenn Anderson 229,318 17.17
Independent James Robert Deal 53,694 4.02
Democracy Independent Mark Greene 46,534 3.48
Neopopulist Dave Sumner, IV 6,057 0.45
Washington Lieutenant Governor Election, 2012
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Brad Owen (inc.) 1,575,133 53.68
Republican Bill Finkbeiner 1,359,212 46.32

References

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  1. ^ O'Sullivan, Joseph (March 8, 2016). "Brad Owen won't seek re-election as lieutenant governor". The Seattle Times. Retrieved March 8, 2016.
  2. ^ Curl, Aimee (October 21, 2008). "A GOPer for Choice, Pot, and Gay Marriage". Seattle Weekly.
  3. ^ a b Frame, Susannah (November 11, 2014). "Lt. Governor defends work ethic, outside business". KING-TV.
  4. ^ "King of Spain to bestow Spanish knighthood on Lt. Governor Owen". Archived from the original on April 25, 2012.
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Political offices
Preceded by Lieutenant Governor of Washington
1997–2017
Succeeded by