Christine Gregoire
A tenacious Washington governor who steered her state through economic crisis and became a formidable force for marriage equality and transportation reform.
Born 1947 (age 79)·Governor of Washington from 2005 to 2013·Birthday: March 24·Baby Boomers
Biography
Christine Gregoire, a Washington native and daughter of a short-order cook, built her career on meticulous preparation and legal grit. She spent over two decades in state government, most notably as Attorney General where she led the landmark multistate lawsuit against tobacco companies, resulting in a historic settlement. Her 2004 run for governor resulted in the closest race in state history, requiring two recounts and a court battle before her victory was certified. As governor, she faced the Great Recession immediately, making tough budgetary choices while investing in clean energy and education. Her second term was defined by political courage: she signed legislation making Washington one of the first states to legalize same-sex marriage through a popular vote, and she championed a multi-billion dollar transportation package. Gregoire governed with a lawyer's precision and a pragmatist's resolve, leaving a legacy of progressive policy and fiscal management.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Christine was born in 1947, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Christine Was Born
The biggest hits of 1947
#1 Movie
The Egg and I
Best Picture
Gentleman's Agreement
Christine's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1947Born
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1952Started school
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1960Became a teenager
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1963Could drive
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1965Could vote
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1968Turned 21
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1977Turned 30
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1987Turned 40
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1997Turned 50
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 60
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 70
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 79 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- As state Attorney General, she was a lead negotiator in the 1998 multistate tobacco Master Settlement Agreement, securing billions in restitution.
- She signed legislation in 2012 that legalized same-sex marriage in Washington, upheld by a voter referendum later that year.
- She secured a $16 billion transportation revenue package in 2005, one of the largest in state history, funding critical infrastructure projects.
Did You Know?
She worked on an assembly line at a Pepsi-Cola plant to pay for college.
She and her opponent, Dino Rossi, were separated by just 133 votes after the first recount in the 2004 election.
She served as the chair of the National Governors Association from 2010 to 2011.
“We have to make sure that our kids are not just ready for college, but ready for life, ready for work, and ready for the world that awaits them.”
