Ted Kulongoski

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Ted Kulongoski (2007)

Theodore R. "Ted" Kulongoski (born November 5, 1940 in St. Louis , Missouri ) is an American lawyer and politician ( Democratic Party ). From 2003 to 2011 he was the 36th  governor of the state of Oregon .

Early years and political advancement

When Ted Kulongoski was four years old, his father passed away. Because of this, he spent the remainder of his childhood in a Catholic boys' home in St. Louis. After graduating from high school, he joined the US Marines . He then completed a law degree and settled in Eugene (Oregon) as a lawyer specializing in labor law.

In 1974 he was elected to the Oregon House of Representatives, and in 1978 to the State Senate . In 1980, he failed in the election for the United States Senate on the Republican Bob Packwood . In 1982 he made his first attempt to become governor of Oregon, but lost significantly to Victor G. Atiyeh . His successor Neil Goldschmidt commissioned Kulongoski in 1987 to reform the accident insurance system. Between 1993 and 1997, Kulongoski was Attorney General of Oregon, where he reformed juvenile justice. On January 4, 1997, he became a member of the Oregon Supreme Court , the highest court in Oregon, which he remained until June 18, 2001. In 2002 Kulongoski was elected as the new governor of his state, with 49 percent of the vote against Republican Kevin Mannix .

Governor of Oregon

On January 13, 2003, Kulongoski took office as Governor of Oregon. On November 7, 2006, he won re-election as governor against his Republican challenger Ron Saxton. At the time of his inauguration, Kulongoski was grappling with the largest budget deficit since the Great Depression. This was a consequence of the economic recession that began after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 . Through budget reform and clever investment programs, he was gradually able to restore a certain financial stability. The state's infrastructure was improved and around 150,000 new jobs created. This was partly a result of companies from other parts of the United States settling here. For his second term, which began in January 2007, he set out to further improve the education system and health care. He wanted Oregon to become the world leader in the fight for renewable and alternative energies.

In January 2011, Kulongoski's second term ended. His predecessor John Kitzhaber was also elected as his successor and consequently replaced him. He and his wife Mary Oberst have three grown children.

Web links

Commons : Ted Kulongoski  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files