Rod Chandler
StateWashington
Term startJanuary 3, 1983
Term endJanuary 3, 1993
PredecessorConstituency established
SuccessorJennifer Dunn
State house 1Washington
District 145th
Term start 1January 13, 1975
Term end 1January 3, 1983
Predecessor 1Alan Bluechel
Successor 1John W. Betrozoff
Birth nameRodney Dennis Chandler
Birth dateJuly 13, 1942 (age 84)
Birth placeLa Grande, Oregon, U.S.
PartyRepublican
SpouseJoyce Chandler
EducationEastern Oregon University (BS)
University of Nevada, Las Vegas (MEd)
AllegianceUnited States
Service years1959–1964
UnitOregon Army National Guard

Rodney Dennis Chandler (born July 13, 1942) is an American politician and journalist who served five terms as a U.S. representative from Washington from 1983 to 1993.

He is the great-great-grandnephew of long-time U.S. Senator Zachariah Chandler of Michigan.

Early career

Rod Chandler received a B.S. from Eastern Oregon College and a M.Ed. from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Before entering politics, Chandler worked as a television news correspondent and a public relations consultant.

Political career

State legislature

He was elected to the Washington House of Representatives in 1974.

Congress

In 1982, he was elected as a Republican to the 98th Congress, representing the newly created . In that race, he defeated Democratic candidate Beth Bland by a margin of 57% to 43%.[1] He held the seat for five terms, until he gave up his seat for an unsuccessful candidacy for the United States Senate.

In 1989, Chandler revealed publicly that he is a recovering alcoholic.[2]

Senate campaign

In 1992, one of Washington's U.S. Senate seats came open when the incumbent, Brock Adams, announced his retirement amidst a personal scandal.[3] Democratic state Senator Patty Murray won the Democratic primary and faced Chandler in the general election. For much of the race, Chandler seemed to have the upper hand, but during a debate in the later stages of the campaign he inexplicably responded to Murray's criticism for spending $120,000 on congressional mailings during an economic recession by quoting the Roger Miller song "Dang Me".[4] By association, Chandler was further damaged by the unpopularity in the Pacific Northwest of incumbent President George H. W. Bush, who was largely blamed for the recession.

Later career

Chandler taught Advanced Placement Government classes at Eaglecrest High School in Centennial, Colorado until the end of the 2006–07 school year.

Chandler endorsed Democrat Joe Biden during the 2020 United States presidential election, wanting to prevent the re-election of President Donald Trump.[5] Chandler was one of 12 former Republican U.S. Representatives who filed an amicus brief in Trump v. Anderson, supporting the Colorado Supreme Court's decision to disqualify former President Donald Trump as a candidate in the 2024 Presidential Election.[6]

Chandler is a member of the ReFormers Caucus of Issue One.[7]

References

  1. ^ "Washington Secretary of State, 1982 General Election Results – U.S. Representative, 8th District". vote.wa.gov. Retrieved October 2, 2015.
  2. ^ "Chandler Shocks With Tales Of Spirits -- He Uses Examples From His Days Of Drunkenness To Stress Seriousness Of Problems Of Alcoholism | The Seattle Times". archive.seattletimes.com
  3. ^ Mark Matassa and David Schaefer (March 2, 1992). "Who'll Run for Adams' Seat? -- Scramble on After Senator Withdraws". Seattle Times
  4. ^ Cantwell snubs McGavick on debates By Joel Connelly Seattle Post-Intelligencer
  5. ^ Whitman, Christine Todd (September 3, 2020). "Prominent Republicans and Independents, Led by Former Governor Christine Todd Whitman, Launch New Coalition Uniting Conservatives to Take on Trump and Elect Joe Biden". Republicans and Independents for Biden. Retrieved September 3, 2020.
  6. ^ "There's one WA Republican willing to fight Trump — but only one". The Seattle Times. February 7, 2024. Retrieved February 7, 2024.
  7. ^ "ReFormers Caucus - Issue One". 2023.

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