Jay Inslee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jay Inslee
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Inslee in 2024
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| 23rd Governor of Washington | |
| In office January 16, 2013 – January 15, 2025 |
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| Lieutenant | Brad Owen Cyrus Habib Denny Heck |
| Preceded by | Christine Gregoire |
| Succeeded by | Bob Ferguson |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Washington |
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| In office January 3, 1999 – March 20, 2012 |
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| Preceded by | Rick White |
| Succeeded by | Suzan DelBene |
| Constituency | 1st district |
| In office January 3, 1993 – January 3, 1995 |
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| Preceded by | Sid Morrison |
| Succeeded by | Doc Hastings |
| Constituency | 4th district |
| Member of the Washington House of Representatives from the 14th district |
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| In office January 9, 1989 – January 11, 1993 |
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| Preceded by | Jim Lewis |
| Succeeded by | Dave Lemmon |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Jay Robert Inslee
February 9, 1951 Seattle, Washington, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Trudi Tindall
(m. 1972) |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | University of Washington (BA) Willamette University (JD) |
| Signature |  |
Jay Robert Inslee (born February 9, 1951) is an American politician and lawyer. He served as the 23rd governor of Washington from 2013 to 2025. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Before becoming governor, he was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1993 to 1995 and again from 1999 to 2012. He also ran for president in 2020.
Inslee grew up in Seattle, Washington. He studied at the University of Washington and Willamette University College of Law. He started his political career in the Washington House of Representatives from 1989 to 1993.
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Early Life and Education
Jay Robert Inslee was born on February 9, 1951, in Seattle, Washington. He was the oldest of three sons. His parents were Adele and Frank Inslee. His family has lived in Washington for many generations.
Inslee went to Ingraham High School in Seattle. He was a good student and a strong athlete. He played center on his high school basketball team. He was also the starting quarterback on his football team.
Inslee's interest in protecting the environment started when he was young. His parents often took high school students on trips to clean up Mount Rainier. He met his future wife, Trudi Tindall, at Ingraham High School.
College and Law School
Inslee first attended Stanford University. He planned to study medicine. After one year, he had to leave because he could not get a scholarship. He returned home and went to the University of Washington. He earned a degree in economics in 1973.
He then went to Willamette University College of Law in Salem, Oregon. He received his law degree in 1976.
Family and Legal Career
Inslee and Trudi Tindall married on August 27, 1972. They have three sons: Jack, Connor, and Joseph. After law school, they moved to Selah, near Yakima. Inslee worked as a city prosecutor for 10 years.
He first became involved in politics in 1985. He helped advocate for building a new high school. This experience made him want to run for public office.
Washington State Representative (1989–1993)
First Elections
Inslee ran for the Washington House of Representatives in 1988. The current representative, Jim Lewis, was leaving office. Inslee ran against Lynn Carmichael, a former mayor of Yakima. Carmichael was expected to win.
Inslee worked hard during his campaign. He focused on his rural background and how he helped local people and businesses as a lawyer. He won the election with 52% of the vote. In 1990, he was reelected with 62% of the vote.
Key Work in the Legislature
In the state legislature, Inslee tried to pass a bill to fund new campuses for Washington State University. Even though the bill did not pass, his effort impressed other lawmakers. He also worked on preventing steroid use by high school athletes. He pushed for a bill that would require all drivers to have auto insurance.
In 1991, he supported a bill to create a cost-effective energy plan for the state. This bill also encouraged state agencies and schools to use energy-efficient methods.
U.S. Congress (1993–1995)
First Term in Congress
In 1992, U.S. Representative Sid Morrison decided not to run for reelection. Inslee then ran for this open seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. This district covered the central-eastern part of Washington. Inslee won the election in a very close race.
In Congress, Inslee helped pass the Yakima River Enhancement Act. This bill helped both farmers and wildlife. He also worked to open Japanese markets for American apples. He helped fund and oversee the Hanford Nuclear Reservation, a large nuclear waste site.
Reelection Attempt
Inslee lost his bid for reelection in 1994 to Doc Hastings. He believed his vote for the Federal Assault Weapons Ban was a major reason for his defeat.
Between Congressional Terms (1995–1999)
After losing his seat, Inslee moved to Bainbridge Island, near Seattle. He worked as a lawyer again for a short time.
Run for Governor (1996)
Inslee ran for governor of Washington in 1996. He did not win the primary election. After this, President Bill Clinton appointed Inslee as a regional director for the United States Department of Health and Human Services.
Return to Congress (1999–2012)
Winning Back a Seat
Inslee ran for Congress again in 1998. This time, he ran in the 1st congressional district against Rick White. Inslee won the election.
He was reelected six more times. In 2002, his district was changed to include more Democratic voters. He won his later elections with more than 60% of the vote.
Key Issues and Work
As a member of Congress, Inslee strongly supported policies to fight climate change. He was known as a leading voice in Congress for taking action against global warming. He wrote a book called Apollo's Fire: Igniting America's Clean Energy Economy. In the book, he argued that the U.S. could reduce its reliance on foreign oil and fossil fuel. He believed this would create many green-collar jobs and help stop global warming.
Inslee was also a critic of the George W. Bush administration's 2003 invasion of Iraq. He supported the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, a federal health care law.
Inslee left Congress on March 20, 2012, to focus on his campaign for governor of Washington.
Governor of Washington (2013–2025)
First Election as Governor (2012)
On June 27, 2011, Inslee announced he would run for governor of Washington. His campaign focused on creating jobs, especially in clean energy and biotechnology. He also supported legalizing gay marriage. He won the election with 51% of the vote, defeating Republican Rob McKenna.
Second Term (2017–2021)
Inslee began his second term on January 11, 2017. He focused on fully funding state education and addressing mental health needs.
After President Donald Trump signed an order banning people from certain countries from entering the U.S., Inslee and Attorney General Bob Ferguson sued the Trump administration. This case, Washington v. Trump, gained national attention. The courts blocked the travel ban.
In December 2017, Inslee launched "Career Connect Washington." This program provides funding for apprenticeships and career connections for young people. Major companies like Alaska Airlines, Amazon, Boeing, Microsoft, and Kaiser Permanente were involved.
In December 2018, Inslee announced new laws to reduce the state's carbon emissions. These laws aimed to make Washington utilities stop using fossil fuels by mid-century.
In March and April 2020, Inslee ordered major social distancing measures across the state due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This included closing schools and a stay-at-home order.
In June 2020, during protests over police actions, a group of protesters created the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone in Seattle. President Trump criticized this area. Inslee responded by telling Trump to "stay out of Washington State's business."
Third Term (2021–2025)
Inslee began his third term on January 13, 2021.
On April 8, 2021, Inslee signed a bill that restored voting rights to people convicted of felonies after they finished their sentences. This made Washington the 20th state with such a law.
On May 4, 2021, Inslee signed a new capital gains tax into law. This tax applies to certain investment profits over $250,000. It includes many exceptions, such as retirement accounts and real estate. This tax was challenged in court but was upheld by the Washington Supreme Court in March 2023.
In August 2021, Inslee required state and health care workers to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
When New York Governor Andrew Cuomo resigned in August 2021, Inslee became the longest-serving current governor in the United States. He announced in May 2023 that he would not run for a fourth term. His term ended on January 15, 2025.
In March 2024, Inslee signed a law making Washington the first state to ban the commercial farming of octopuses. This law was supported by animal rights groups.
2020 Presidential Campaign
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In 2018, there was talk that Inslee might run for president in the 2020 election. He gained national attention from the lawsuit against the Trump administration's travel ban.
Inslee announced his candidacy for president on March 1, 2019. He said his main focus would be fighting climate change. He asked for a debate focused only on climate change, but this request was denied.
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Facing low poll numbers, Inslee ended his presidential campaign on August 21, 2019. The next day, he announced he would run for a third term as governor. He later supported Joe Biden for president.
Images for kids
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Jay Inslee's signature
See also
In Spanish: Jay Inslee para niños
