51 Facts About Christine Gregoire

Christine Gregoire is an American politician who served as the 22nd governor of Washington from 2005 to 2013.

Christine Gregoire served on the Governors' Council of the Bipartisan Policy Center in Washington, DC.

Christine Gregoire was born in Adrian, Michigan but was raised in Auburn, Washington, by her mother, Sybil Grace Jacobs, who worked as a short-order cook.

Christine Gregoire then attended law school at Gonzaga University in Spokane, receiving her Juris Doctor in 1977.

Christine Gregoire went to work as an assistant attorney general in the office of State Attorney General Slade Gorton, a Republican.

Christine Gregoire served four years as director before running for attorney general in 1992.

Christine Gregoire played a principal role in helping reach agreements about the natural resource distribution between the tribes and the state.

Christine Gregoire was elected attorney general in 1992 by 11 percentage points over her opponent, Norm Maleng, an attorney who served and was reelected seven times as King County prosecutor.

Christine Gregoire was Washington's first and only female attorney general.

Christine Gregoire was reelected in 1996 and 2000, both times over Richard Pope, by about 25 and 18 percentage points respectively.

Attorneys General on June 20,1997, led by Christine Gregoire negotiated a settlement that required tobacco companies to pay more than $206 billion over 25 years in reimbursements to the states for tax dollars spent to treat Medicaid patients for smoking-related illnesses.

In March 1999, Christine Gregoire announced that Washington would receive at least an additional $394.9 million in settlement payments from the major tobacco companies.

Christine Gregoire defeated Ron Sims and four other minor candidates in the Democratic primary election for the governorship on September 14,2004.

Christine Gregoire had come under fire during the primary for her membership in Kappa Delta because of its nonwhite membership policy in the late 1960s.

Christine Gregoire clashed with Sims over her position at the sorority, but Sims dropped the issue and dismissed any claims of racism.

Christine Gregoire won the backing of the legislature within six months after pushing through a number of important measures on car emission standards and unemployment benefits.

The election was held on November 2,2004, with the initial count showing Christine Gregoire trailing Rossi by 261 votes.

Christine Gregoire officially endorsed Obama on February 8,2008, hours before an event at KeyArena in Seattle where she introduced him before a crowd of 18,000 people.

Christine Gregoire began her reelection campaign at her late mother's former employer, the Rainbow Cafe in Auburn, Washington, on April 7,2008.

The Seattle Times reported that Christine Gregoire gave cost-of-living increases to state employees who hadn't received raises in "many years", and funded voter-approved initiatives to raise the pay of schoolteachers, all groups that gave money to her 2004 recount campaign.

On March 28,2006, Christine Gregoire signed into law a measure she had requested that consolidated Washington's scattered early learning and child-care programs into the Department of Early Learning.

The group, chaired by Christine Gregoire and comprising members representing business, government, philanthropy, the education committee, the legislature, and the public, met consistently for 18 months.

Christine Gregoire announced major education reforms that included developing criteria and standards for teacher evaluation, setting school performance requirements, and expanding teacher certification options.

Christine Gregoire passed and signed those into law on March 8,2012.

Christine Gregoire proposed major health care reforms including changes in how the state purchased health care, consolidating state health care spending, and streamlining purchasing practices.

Christine Gregoire pushed SB 5093, Washington State's Cover All Kids Law, in March 2007.

On May 11,2011, Christine Gregoire signed six bills to transform Washington's health care system.

On January 13,2012, Christine Gregoire filed an amicus brief in support of the Affordable Care Act.

Concurrently, as Christine Gregoire made reforms in the state, she led implementation of the Federal Affordable Care Act.

Christine Gregoire signed ESSB 5122 and ESSB 5371 to conform state law with the ACA by extending insurance coverage to dependents under the age of 26, removing lifetime benefit maximums, and preventing insurance companies from denying coverage to people because of preexisting conditions.

On May 21,2009, Christine Gregoire issued an Executive Order directing state actions to cut greenhouse gases and battle climate change by increasing transportation and fuel-conservation options and protecting water supplies and vulnerable coastal areas.

In October 2005, Christine Gregoire sent a letter to the state's Gambling Commission recommending that it renegotiate a compact with the Spokane Native American tribe it had submitted for approval.

Christine Gregoire signed a law on April 21,2007, granting same-sex couples domestic partnership rights.

Christine Gregoire signed Senate Bill 5688 ensuring state-registered domestic partners have the same rights as married spouses, further extending rights to LGBTQ+ Washingtonians.

On January 4,2012, Christine Gregoire announced her support for same-sex marriage and pledged to sign a marriage bill if it were passed by the legislature.

In March 2006, Christine Gregoire's requested bill, SB 6508, was signed into law.

In 2009, Christine Gregoire led public and political support to build two of the nation's largest infrastructure projects, replacement of the 520 floating bridge and a plan to replace the aging and earthquake vulnerable State Route 99 Alaskan Way Viaduct with a deep bore tunnel.

Together with Governor Lincoln Chaffee, on November 30,2011, Christine Gregoire filed a petition with the Drug Enforcement Administration asking to reschedule marijuana as a Schedule 2 drug, allowing its use for treatment as prescribed by doctors and filled by pharmacists.

On May 12,2005, Christine Gregoire signed a bill creating the Life Sciences Discovery Fund, which gives grants for research in health and agriculture.

In 2009 Christine Gregoire set out to increase Washington's aerospace focus.

On September 30,2011, Christine Gregoire completed the most significant transformation of state government in 20 years, merging five agencies into three, saving taxpayers $18.3 million.

On December 3,2011, Christine Gregoire announced that the government reform measures saved businesses more than $450 million in unemployment taxes and workers' compensation rates.

Christine Gregoire introduced legislation to reduce or eliminate a third of 64 small Cabinet agencies through mergers or realignments.

In January 2010 Christine Gregoire released a 10-point plan to accelerate recovery and create as many as 40,000 jobs over the next three years.

Christine Gregoire led a trade mission to China and Japan.

Christine Gregoire's term ended in January 2013 and her official portrait was painted by artist Michele Rushworth.

Christine Gregoire was reportedly considered by the Obama administration for a position in either the State Department or the Department of the Interior, but was not chosen.

Christine Gregoire will be instrumental in helping to shine a spotlight on the lifesaving work of the Hutchinson Center and how it contributes to the health and well-being of people throughout the state and the world.

From August to December 2014, Christine Gregoire took a position as a Fall Fellow at the Harvard Institute of Politics at the Harvard Kennedy School in Harvard Square, where she spent time engaging with students at the school about leadership in various positions of government.

Christine Gregoire's first child, Courtney, was born in Spokane in 1979.

In 2009, Christine Gregoire received a sort of tongue-in-cheek Fuse "Fizzle" Award.