Former Washington Gov. Mike Lowry dies at age 78

Former Washington Gov. Mike Lowry has died.

Lowry, a Democrat who served in Congress for a decade before ultimately being elected governor in 1992, died Monday following complications from a stroke, according to a news release issued by his family. He was 78.

In a statement, Gov. Jay Inslee said Lowry “served with compassion and humility.”

Lowry was born in the tiny Whitman County town of St. John, where his family homesteaded in 1882, before statehood. After serving in Congress until 1989, he twice lost races for the U.S. Senate. He also served as a legislative aide, King County Council member and a Group Health Cooperative staffer.

He came out of temporary political retirement to run for governor after toying with a Senate bid when Dan Evans retired after a single term.