Karen Marchioro (1933-2007)

Karen Marchioro (1933-2007)

Karen Marchioro was a leader in the Washington Democratic Party and helped bring the party into a position of power in the state. When she took contol of the Democratic Party in 1981, following the Reagan Landslide of 1980, the Democrats in Washington were a mess, having lost the governorship, a vital Senate seat, and a slew of legislative seats. By the time of her death, Washington had given its electoral votes to five straight Democratic presidential candidates, and had contolled the Governor’s mansion since 1984.

Marchioro began her passion for politics during the Vietnam War, when she led a liberal revolt against the State Democratic Party leadership, which at the time was fairly conservative organization dominated by rural interests. This was the time when the top Democrat in the nation was President Lynden Johnson, a back-slapping, lapel-grabbing, good ol’ boy, Texas deal-making politician. Johnson was the man behind America’s involvement in Vietnam. Marchioro felt that the Democratic Party needed to take an anti-war stance, and she eventually led a grass-roots movement to make the Washington State Democratic Party into a liberal movement. In the process of transforming the state Democrats, Marchioro often disagreed with Senator Henry Jackson, a pro-war Democrat who saw the need for the U.S. to battle communism in Vietnam.

She served as the chair of the King County Democrats, and, in 1981, Marchioro became the head of the State party. As the leader of the state party, Marchioro recruited candidates who could win, and helped the Democrats begin their ascendency to power.

Political Positions:

King County Democratic Party Chair

1981-1993: State Democratic Party Chair

Karen Marchioro, 1933-2007: Passionate activist rebuilt state Democratic Party–Seattle PI, August 30, 2007

Marchioro kicked the Democrats into shape–Joel Connelly, PI, August 19, 2007

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Date Last Modified: 9/15/2007
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