Lowry Not Sure He Will Run Again Governor Proud Of Leadership, But Admits Having ‘Rough Time’

Gov. Mike Lowry, stung by attacks on his personal behavior, says he’ll consult with his wife and daughter before deciding whether to run for re-election.

“Frankly speaking, I have not had that conversation with my family,” he said. “I try to be as honest as I can: This has been a rough time. It’s been rough personally, and it’s been rough on my family.”

Lowry says he thinks he has done a good job, and has never minded attacks on his political positions. But as for “the attacks on my family and myself,” he said, “you know, it’s been challenging.”

Lowry made his comments Wednesday in an interview with editors of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

“I’d like to run again,” he said. “I’m a little biased on this - I think I’m a good governor, and I think I’m doing a good job.”

But, he added, “It’s been a tough time.”

Lowry has been a political target ever since he was elected in November 1992 with 52 percent of the vote. The man he defeated, then-attorney general Ken Eikenberry, became chairman of the state Republican Party and has used Lowry as a symbol of unpopular government actions.

And this year, Lowry was bombarded by personal criticism after it was learned a press aide had complained he had sexually harassed her. The aide has not filed a complaint, and an investigation found that Lowry’s conduct probably was not legally sexual harassment.

The onslaught has left Lowry unsure whether to run for re-election.

Lowry readily discussed other Democratic shining lights, saying Attorney General Christine Gregoire “would be an excellent governor” and that Seattle Mayor Norm Rice would be a good candidate.

But Lowry said he is proud of his own leadership, including politically risky decisions almost guaranteed to hurt him at the polls.

He cited several examples of gutsy vetoes, including two major tax cuts that he said the state could not afford, a provision to let the state detain repeat runaway kids for up to six months, and an anti-pornography measure that opponents said would lead to censorship.