Dan Evans, a popular Republican who served three terms as governor of Washington state and later served in the U.S. Senate before leaving in frustration because he found the chamber too rancorous and boring, has died. He was 98.
Evans died Friday, according to the University of Washington, where he had served as a regent and where the Daniel J. Evans School of Public Policy and Governance is named after him.
“Dan Evans was an honorable, independent public servant who put Washington state first and dedicated his life to protecting and investing in the places and people of our state,” Democratic U.S. Sen. Patty Murray said in a statement Saturday.
“We were lucky to have him and I am confident his legacy will live on for generations.”
Evans was a dominant force in Washington politics for decades and, until current Gov. Jay Inslee, was the only person to be elected governor three times.
In a statement posted on the social media platform X, the Democrat said it was hard to think of another resident who had such a positive impact on so many aspects of the state.
“We can all, regardless of party, feel fortunate for the progress he has made in each of his three terms as governor,” Inslee said.
Born in 1925 in Seattle, Evans was a civil engineer before entering politics.
He was elected to the state legislature in 1956 and won the governorship in 1964, defeating two-term incumbent Democrat Albert D. Rosellini and winning in a bad year for his fellow Republicans, one that saw President Lyndon Johnson soundly defeat the GOP’s Barry Goldwater.
Known as a moderate to liberal Republican, the outdoorsman helped add new recreation areas and parks to the state and supported clean air and water legislation.
He created the nation’s first State Department of Ecology, which President Richard Nixon used as a model for the Environmental Protection Agency.
Evans also tried unsuccessfully to create a state income tax. He chose not to seek a fourth term.
“His legacy of coming together for the greater good, despite partisan divisions, has inspired and will continue to inspire Evans School officials and the community,” Jodi Sandfort, the school’s dean, said in a statement.
Sandfort recalled a quote from Evans: “Getting good things done requires a bipartisan effort, because often what we’re trying to accomplish is not partisan.”
After leaving the governor’s mansion in 1977, Evans remained in Olympia, where he served as president of The Evergreen State College.
Evans had helped establish the state school system when he signed legislation authorizing the liberal arts college, and as governor he also supported the founding of the state’s community college system.
He gained a national reputation during his tenure as president and was the keynote speaker at the 1968 Republican National Convention.
He was mentioned as a potential running mate for President Gerald Ford in 1976.
Never a fan of Ronald Reagan, Evans supported Ford in 1976 and initially backed George H.W. Bush in 1980.
As a popular Republican in a predominantly Democratic state, it seemed like Evans would be an obvious candidate if he decided to run for the U.S. Senate.
He often pushed back on these comments, saying in 1972: “I don’t like Washington, D.C. very much…and I couldn’t stand being in the Senate.”
However, in 1983, Democratic Senator Henry “Scoop” Jackson died in office and Evans accepted an appointment to finish his term.
Evans chose not to run in the 1988 election, citing the “slow pace of decision-making.”
At the time, he said he was looking forward to getting home to enjoy the outdoors.
In his later years, Evans served as a regent at the University of Washington, his alma mater.
He has also served on numerous non-profit and corporate boards.
“Dad lived an exceptionally full life,” his sons — Dan Jr., Mark and Bruce Evans — said in a statement cited by the Seattle Times.
“Whether it was serving in public service, working to improve higher education, or mentoring aspiring public servants… he always kept going until the end. He touched so many lives. And he did it without sacrificing his family.”
Evans’ wife, Nancy Bell Evans, died in January at age 90.
