Dan Evans and his wife Nancy in Seattle, on October 11, 1983, after Evans won the Republican primary for the Senate seat to replace Henry M. Jackson. (AP Photo/Barry Sweet)
Last week we lost a giant of Washington state politics. Former Governor Dan Evans leaves behind a rich legacy that warrants reflection. Dan’s story inspires me, and his influence on both politics and people cannot be underestimated. He was a man who liked to get things done. During his distinguished political career, Dan advocated civility, worked tirelessly to preserve wilderness areas, created the nation’s first community college system, and served as a mentor to youth.
Dan was the rare politician who relinquished power. In 1988, then-U.S. Senator Dan Evans wrote an op-ed for the New York Times announcing that he would not seek re-election. The piece, titled “Why I’m Leaving the Senate,” excoriated members of both parties for the dysfunction of the “higher body” of our federal government’s legislative branch. Evans deplored the use of procedural tactics to block important debates, the sprawling spending bills that no one read (he pushed for individual appropriations bills to pass the budget), and the schedules that prevented senators from returning home to meet with their constituents and to listen to them.
If these concerns and issues sound familiar, it’s because many Americans today are witnessing the same intransigence that caused a great official to leave elected office nearly thirty years ago. We could certainly use more people like Dan on both sides of the aisle in political office today.
Throughout his political career, Governor Evans was known as a bipartisan bridge builder and regularly advocated for greater civility. A saying I often heard from him was: ‘we can disagree without being disagreeable.’
At a time when toxic partisanship is rampant among politicians, left and right, the political courage Dan showed sets a high standard that we can all work toward. Governor Evans crossed paths with both Republicans and Democrats in many of his championed causes. From conservation efforts to pushing to create the state’s community college system, Dan worked with anyone who wanted to join the cause to promote good public policy, regardless of party.
In 2019, I joined Governor Evans on a hike in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness Area outside Leavenworth. I remember talking to Dan about the importance of civility and will always cherish not only his words, but his example. During the walk, a 93-year-old Evans led a small group of Cascade Conference visitors through the area he played an important role in during his time as governor. I was moved to see and hear Dan’s passion for nature and conservation, a passion that started at an early age exploring the Olympic Mountains as a Boy Scout.
Governor Evans was a lifelong champion for wilderness conservation and played a primary role in the creation of the North Cascades National Park, Ross Lake National Recreation Area, Lake Chelan National Recreation Area, and Pasayten and Glacier Peak Wilderness areas. In total, he led efforts to preserve approximately 1.7 million hectares of land.
Dan Evans liked to remind us that the words “conservation” and “conservative” have the same root: “conservation.” He exemplified the Republican tradition of caring for and protecting our land, air and water. In 2017, in a bipartisan vote, Congress recognized Evans’ commitment to conservation by designating most of the Olympic National Park as the Daniel J. Evans Wilderness. Dan has climbed Mount Olympus several times as a Boy Scout, and his namesake now sits astride that mountain.
In addition to his legacy as a bridge builder and land protector, I will always remember Dan as someone who genuinely cared for and took the time to mentor youth.
From the stories of his staff during his tenure to the mentorship he provided me and many other young people in his later years, Dan demonstrated an authentic commitment to nurturing the next generation. I remember celebrating Governor Evans’ 95th birthdaye birthday with him and a group of others. Aside from his impressive acuity at that age, I was struck by how Dan took the time to listen and give advice; he treated each of us as if we were part of his ‘inner circle’.
Dan was a great political leader and an even better man. The kindness with which he treated others, regardless of social status or political ideology, is something we need more of if we are to build bridges to bridge the current party-political divide. His focus on meaningful solutions over performative politics, from preserving public lands to defending higher education, will need to be emulated if we are to address the controversial issues of our time.
Governor Evans successfully navigated partisan environments to defend causes close to his heart. The ability to work together for the common good, regardless of party or background, should be what we look for in all of our elected officials. Dan Evans is no longer with us, but he leaves behind a legacy that can inspire us to a better future.
