140 sLAde goRton: A hALf centuRy in poLitics
pression of human rights. That he was an unapologetic Cold Warrior
earned him the hostility of antiwar liberals in the McGovern wing. An-
other liability was his charisma deficit. Still, a Gallup Poll ranked him as
one of the 10 most admired people in the world. His rivals for the nomina-
tion included a little-known, under-funded, one-term former governor of
Georgia—a born-again Baptist peanut grower named Jimmy Carter.^1
In Olympia, Governor Evans was weighing whether to seek an unprec-
edented fourth term. Although many observers kept the notion percolat-
ing, Evans had no interest in running for the Senate in the event Jackson
won the Democratic presidential nomination. Gorton, despite what the
same pundits and papers were saying, had zero interest in running for
governor if Evans didn’t. However, he definitely would be a candidate for
the Senate if the seat fell open. A Citizens for Slade Gorton Committee
was being formed. Seattle Congressman Brock Adams—a tough guy
to beat—would be the Democratic frontrunner if Scoop was out of the
picture.
Jackson, however, was once again a star-crossed presidential candi-
date. “As nice a man as Scoop Jackson was, he could put an audience to
sleep faster than anybody I have ever seen,” a reporter for ABC observed
after Jackson’s candidacy faltered on the grueling primary trail. The
thoughtful man with the engaging smile—as opposed to the abstemious
square—got lost in the klieg lights. Carter, the outsider, was the clean
breeze in a spring of discontent over the battered domestic economy and
international tension.^ Carter’s victory in the Pennsylvania primary in late
April was the end of the line for Jackson. Exhausted and frustrated, he
flew back to Seattle and bowed out gracefully. “I am a realist,” Scoop said.
“I gave this campaign everything I had.” Still, it was good to be home and
there was important work yet to be done. “No state has done more for its
native son than the State of Washington has done for me.” He would seek
re-election to the United States Senate in 1976.^2
Gorton joked that he was the real loser of the Pennsylvania primary.
It was actually a lucky break. His chances of winning a seat in the Sen-
ate would be much stronger against Magnuson in four more years. He
promptly announced his candidacy for a third term as attorney general.
Evans had already concluded with deeply mixed emotions that it was
time for something new, although he wasn’t sure what it would be. King
County Executive John Spellman, an affable pipe smoker, was the favor-
ite for the GOP nomination for governor, while Seattle Mayor Wes Uhl-
man faced Dixy Lee Ray, an intriguing new face. Never married, the
marine biologist was 62, fascinatingly frumpy in her knee socks and