Gary Faye Locke (born January 21, 1950) is an American politician and lawyer. He has held many important roles in government. Locke was the 21st Governor of Washington from 1997 to 2005. He was the first Chinese-American governor and the first Asian American governor in the mainland U.S.

Later, during Barack Obama's time as president, Locke served as the United States Secretary of Commerce from 2009 to 2011. After that, he became the United States Ambassador to China from 2011 to 2014. He was the first Chinese American to hold this ambassador role.

Before becoming governor, Locke was elected to the Washington House of Representatives in 1982. He then became the executive for King County in 1993. He was known as a moderate Democrat. After being reelected governor in 2000, he was chosen to respond to President George W. Bush's 2003 State of the Union speech. Locke decided not to run for governor again in 2004.

From June 2020 to July 2023, Locke was the temporary president of Bellevue College. This college is a large part of the Washington Community and Technical Colleges system.

Early Life and Education
Political Career in Washington
- Governor of Washington
  - State of the Union Response and Leaving Office
National Politics
- Secretary of Commerce
- Ambassador to China
After Being Ambassador
Personal Life
Political Views
See also

Early Life and Education

Gary Locke was born on January 21, 1950, in Seattle, Washington. He grew up in a public housing project called Yesler Terrace. He is a third-generation Chinese American. This means his grandparents came to the U.S. from China. His family came from Jilong village in Taishan, China.

Locke is the second of five children. His father, James Locke, was a staff sergeant in the U.S. Fifth Armored Division during World War II. His mother, Julie, was from Hong Kong, which was a British colony at the time. Gary Locke's grandfather came to the U.S. in the 1890s. He worked as a houseboy in Olympia, Washington, to learn English.

Locke's father was born in China in 1917 and moved to the U.S. in 1931. He passed away in 2011 at 93. Gary Locke did not learn English until he was five years old and started kindergarten.

He graduated with honors from Franklin High School in Seattle in 1968. He also earned the Eagle Scout rank, which is the highest rank in the Boy Scouts of America. Locke worked part-time jobs and received financial help to attend Yale University. He earned a degree in political science in 1972. In 1975, he received his law degree from Boston University School of Law.

Political Career in Washington

Gary Locke has said he was inspired by Wing Luke. Luke was a Chinese American lawyer and politician from Seattle who died in 1965.

In 1982, Locke was elected to the Washington House of Representatives. He represented a district in South Seattle. While there, he led the Appropriations Committee, which handles money matters. In 1993, he became the executive for King County. He won against the person who held the job before him, Tim Hill.

Governor of Washington

In 1996, Locke won the election to become the Governor of Washington. This made him the first Chinese American governor in U.S. history.

During his time as governor, Locke faced challenges with Washington's budget. He made some difficult decisions to cut spending. These included reducing health coverage and freezing pay for many state employees. He also cut funding for nursing homes and programs for people with disabilities.

In his last budget, he reduced funding for state education. Despite some criticism, Locke was reelected governor in 2000.

State of the Union Response and Leaving Office

In 2003, Gary Locke was chosen by his political party to respond to President George W. Bush's 2003 State of the Union Address. This is a big honor for a governor.

In July 2003, Locke surprised many by announcing he would not seek a third term as governor. He said he wanted to spend more time with his family. Some people, like columnist Susan Paynter, thought that racist threats and insults he and his family received might have played a role in his decision. His office received many threatening letters and emails, and some even threatened his children.

After leaving office, Locke joined a law firm in Seattle called Davis Wright Tremaine. He worked with their China and government relations teams. Before the 2008 presidential election, he helped lead Hillary Clinton's campaign in Washington state.

National Politics

Many Democrats saw Gary Locke as a possible choice for Vice President. In 1997, he was a special guest at the State of the Union address. During the 2004 presidential election, he was considered for a position in the Cabinet if John Kerry won.

Secretary of Commerce

Locke's family waiting for President Barack Obama at the White House in May 2009

In December 2008, news reports said Locke might be chosen as U.S. Secretary of the Interior for President-elect Barack Obama's team. However, Ken Salazar was chosen for that role instead.

On February 25, 2009, Obama announced that Gary Locke was his choice for United States Secretary of Commerce. The U.S. Senate approved his nomination on March 24. Locke officially started his job on March 26.

Locke was the first Chinese-American Secretary of Commerce. He was one of three Asian Americans in Obama's cabinet. The others were Secretary of Energy Steven Chu and Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki. Many people, including businesses, liked Locke as a cabinet member.

Gary Locke's official portrait for the U.S. Department of Commerce was painted by Michele Rushworth

Ambassador to China

Chen Guangcheng (left) with Locke (center) and Kurt M. Campbell (right) at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing in May 2012

After the previous ambassador resigned, President Obama nominated Locke to be the United States Ambassador to China. The Senate approved Locke for this role on July 27, 2011. He left his job as Secretary of Commerce on August 1.

A photo of Locke carrying his own backpack and buying his own coffee at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport became very popular in China. Many people there liked his simple and humble style. At his first press conference in Beijing, Locke promised to help the U.S. and China work together and understand each other better.

Early in his time as ambassador, a Chinese activist named Chen Guangcheng escaped from house arrest. He found safety in the U.S. Embassy in Beijing in April 2012. China's government asked the U.S. for an apology for its role in the event. Some Chinese newspapers criticized Locke for helping Chen.

In late 2013, Locke announced he would step down as ambassador. He said he wanted to spend more time with his family in Seattle. Experts in China had different views on his time as ambassador. Some said he was a simple ambassador who showed how U.S. officials behave by flying economy class. Others noted the "twist" when he allowed Chen refuge in the embassy. Max Baucus was chosen to replace Locke and was approved by the Senate.

After Being Ambassador

On February 17, 2016, Locke joined the board of AMC Theatres. He also joined the board of PATH, a global health nonprofit based in Seattle, on May 31, 2016.

Locke has supported affirmative action in Washington State. He publicly supported a measure called I-1000 in 2019. However, voters in Washington state later overturned these efforts.

In 2020, an advertisement for President Donald Trump's reelection showed Locke with Joe Biden. The ad wrongly suggested Locke was an official of the Chinese Communist Party.

Locke became the temporary president of Bellevue College on June 15, 2020. This happened after the college's previous president resigned. He served in this role until July 1, 2023, when David May became the permanent president.

In March 2021, some local news suggested Locke might run for Mayor of Seattle. However, this was unlikely because he lived outside Seattle city limits. Locke chose not to run. Instead, he supported Bruce Harrell, who was elected mayor.

On November 16, 2023, Locke joined Dorsey & Whitney as a senior advisor.

Personal Life

Gary Locke's first marriage ended in the 1970s. On October 15, 1994, he married Mona Lee. She was a television reporter and a former Miss Asian America. They divorced in 2015.

The Lockes have three children: Emily Nicole (born March 1997), Dylan James (born March 1999), and Madeline Lee (born November 2004). He is a Protestant.

Locke has spoken about his background. He said, "I’m proud of my Chinese heritage. I’m proud of the great contributions that China has made to world civilization over thousands of years. But I’m thoroughly American. I’m proud of the great values that America has brought to the entire world and all that America stands for."

Political Views

When asked if Asian Americans have a place in politics, Locke shared his thoughts. He said that Asian cultures often teach respect for elders and focus on education. He believes Asian Americans are a big part of America's success.

He mentioned that his grandparents came to the U.S. in the 1800s. They worked on railroads, in lumber camps, goldmines, and canneries. They also worked on farms that many thought couldn't grow crops. Asian Americans have fought in wars and contributed to society as doctors, researchers, and innovators. Locke believes they have given their "blood, sweat and tears" to communities and the country. He feels Asian Americans have every right, and even a responsibility, to help shape policies for the future.

Gary Locke facts for kids

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