Press Releases

Today, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) released the following statement on the passing of her constituent and former U.S. Senator Slade Gorton.

“I am deeply saddened by the news of Senator Slade Gorton’s passing. He was a towering figure in Washington’s political history and left his mark on our state and our country. As is the nature of politics, not everyone agreed with him, but there is not a single person who can deny his intelligence, his skills as a communicator, and his determination to serve Washington state. His reputation as a workhorse is well-deserved, and before the pandemic he continued to work well into his 90s, often commuting with us back-and-forth to DC.

“Senator Gorton was instrumental in creating the current 1^st Congressional District through his work on the state’s redistricting commission. He referred to the district, which he lived in, as the most evenly divided district in the country. His 40 years of public service and reputation as an independent thinker are an inspiration, and his work to ensure Major League baseball stayed in Seattle will continue to bring our community together. His legacy will live on and he will be missed in the church community that we shared. I will remember the Senator where I believe he would want to be remembered: at every Mariners game, win or lose.”