Slade Gorton

Thomas Slade Gorton III (born January 8 1928 in Chicago, Illinois) is a United States Republican Party politician. He was a United States Senator from Washington state from 1981 until 1987, and then from 1989 until 2001. He was defeated for reelection in 1986 by Brock Adams, and in 2000 by Maria Cantwell.

Gorton served in the United States Army from 1945 until 1946. He then attended and graduated from Dartmouth College. He served in the United States Air Force from 1953 until 1956, continuing to serve in the Air Force reserves until 1980. Meanwhile, he practiced law, and entered politics in 1958, being elected to the state legislature of Washington, in which he served from 1959 until 1969, becoming one of the highest-ranking members. He was then attorney general of Washington from 1969 until he entered the senate in 1981. In the senate, Gorton was notable for his conservative views.

In 2004, Gorton became a member of the 9-11 Commission.