Bradley Scott Owen (born May 23, 1950) is an American businessman and politician who served as the 15th lieutenant governor of Washington from 1997 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he began his political career in the Washington House of Representatives, where he served from 1977 to 1983, before being elected to the Washington State Senate, serving from 1983 to 1997.
Biography Bradley Scott Owen was born on May 23, 1950, in Tacoma, Washington. He was a small business owner before entering politics. He was elected as Shelton City Finance Commissioner and to the Washington House of Representatives in 1976 and served in those capacities until 1983, when he was elected to the Washington State Senate. In 1989, he formed a non-profit organization called Strategies for Youth, first as a way to fight substance abuse among Washington's young people and later with a greater emphasis on bullying and respecting diversity. The program concluded in 2011.
In 1996, Owen moved from the legislature to the executive branch with his election as lieutenant governor. He was re-elected to that position in 2000, 2004, 2008, and 2012. Following findings by the state's Executive Ethics Commission that Owen improperly used tax-payer resources, which led to a $15,000 fine being imposed against him, Owen announced that he would not seek another term in the 2016 election. Prior to that announcement, three current legislators from his own party had already begun campaigning for his office. His final term expired in January 2017. He was succeeded in office by Cyrus Habib.
Owen is opposed to abortion, campaigns against drug use and drug legalization and is described as "lukewarm" on gay rights. He has received criticism for his work ethic, not working outside of the legislative calendar, conducting remote work and prioritizing his outside business interests ahead of his duties as Lieutenant Governor. In September 2014, he was fined $15,000 for breaking state law by using state resources to run Strategies for Youth, his personal non-profit group.
On April 2, 2008, the King of Spain Juan Carlos I bestowed the Order of Isabella the Catholic, or Spanish knighthood, on Owen.
Electoral history Washington House of Representatives 24th District, Position 2 Democratic Primary Election, 1976PartyCandidateVotes%DemocraticBrad Owen9,01051.73DemocraticLeona Savage Osterman (inc.)8,40848.27 Washington House of Representatives 24th District, Position 2 Election, 1976PartyCandidateVotes%DemocraticBrad Owen22,04262.94RepublicanIrene Conca12,97937.06 Washington House of Representatives 24th District, Position 1 Election, 1978PartyCandidateVotes%DemocraticBrad Owen (inc.)18,563100.00 Washington House of Representatives 24th District, Position 1 Election, 1980PartyCandidateVotes%DemocraticBrad Owen (inc.)26,50660.51RepublicanPhilip Sutherland17,30139.49 Washington State Senate 35th District Democratic Primary Election, 1982PartyCandidateVotes%DemocraticBrad Owen9,68565.07DemocraticJoyce Jaros5,20034.93 Washington State Senate 35th District Election, 1982PartyCandidateVotes%DemocraticBrad Owen18,88367.01RepublicanMarlin Cronquist9,29532.99 Washington State Senate 35th District Democratic Primary Election, 1986PartyCandidateVotes%DemocraticBrad Owen (inc.)8,94367.10DemocraticEdward Leaf3,08823.17DemocraticDaniel Sanford1,2979.73 Washington State Senate 35th District Election, 1986PartyCandidateVotes%DemocraticBrad Owen (inc.)19,15070.26RepublicanWayne Estes8,10729.74 Washington State Senate 35th District Democratic Primary Election, 1990PartyCandidateVotes%DemocraticBrad Owen (inc.)8,68157.19DemocraticDan Scott6,49942.81 Washington State Senate 35th District Election, 1990PartyCandidateVotes%DemocraticBrad Owen (inc.)16,74961.54RepublicanDavid Wood10,46738.46 Washington State Senate 35 District Election, 1994PartyCandidateVotes%DemocraticBrad Owen (inc.)24,26567.40RepublicanMeta Heller11,73632.60 Washington Lieutenant Governor Democratic Primary Election, 1996PartyCandidateVotes%DemocraticBrad Owen242,75740.24DemocraticPaull Shin235,46139.03DemocraticBob Owen44,5107.38DemocraticBambi Lichtman34,3265.69DemocraticFrank Gavaldon32,6585.41DemocraticHarvey Billmaier13,6132.26 Washington Lieutenant Governor Election, 1996PartyCandidateVotes%DemocraticBrad Owen1,022,87848.02RepublicanAnn Anderson989,66146.46ReformShawn Newman78,5103.69LibertarianArt Rathjen39,2771.84 Washington Lieutenant Governor Democratic Primary Election, 2000PartyCandidateVotes%DemocraticBrad Owen (inc.)502,52379.33DemocraticLonnie Williams, Sr.129,96620.55 Washington Lieutenant Governor Election, 2000PartyCandidateVotes%DemocraticBrad Owen (inc.)1,247,83854.25RepublicanWm. "Mike" Elliott872,85337.95LibertarianRuth Bennett179,5677.81 Washington Lieutenant Governor Election, 2004PartyCandidateVotes%DemocraticBrad Owen (inc.)1,443,50554.39RepublicanJim Wiest1,019,79038.43LibertarianJocelyn Langlois117,1474.41GreenBern Haggerty73,3282.76 Washington Lieutenant Governor Primary Election, 2008PartyCandidateVotes%DemocraticBrad Owen (inc.)706,64152.08RepublicanMarcia McCraw347,55125.62RepublicanJim Wiest193,75214.28DemocraticRandel Bell59,8904.41ConstitutionArlene Peck48,8873.60 Washington Lieutenant Governor Election, 2008PartyCandidateVotes%DemocraticBrad Owen (inc.)1,718,03360.80RepublicanMarcia McCraw1,107,63439.20 Washington Lieutenant Governor Primary Election, 2012PartyCandidateVotes%DemocraticBrad Owen (inc.)648,11048.51RepublicanBill Finkbeiner325,19526.36Independent RepublicanGlenn Anderson229,31817.17IndependentJames Robert Deal53,6944.02Democracy IndependentMark Greene46,5343.48NeopopulistDave Sumner, IV6,0570.45 Washington Lieutenant Governor Election, 2012PartyCandidateVotes%DemocraticBrad Owen (inc.)1,575,13353.68RepublicanBill Finkbeiner1,359,21246.32
References
External links Campaign website Lieutenant Governor of Washington website