[Vision2020] Republican Party Looses Dunn (found it!)

[J Ford]

WASHINGTON -- Former U.S. Rep. Jennifer Dunn, who became the most powerful 
Republican woman in Washington state history during six terms representing 
Seattle's east-side suburbs, died Wednesday after developing a blood clot 
and collapsing in her Virginia apartment, said a statement from her family. 
She was 66.

DISCUSS: Remembering Jennifer Dunn

Dunn, a favorite of both Bush White Houses, was the state's ranking 
Republican in Congress when she retired in 2004, turning down a plea from 
President George W. Bush to run for Senate. She told The Associated Press at 
the time she was pursuing a new career as a policy adviser and planned to 
enjoy time with her new husband and baby granddaughter.

Her son, King County Councilman Reagan Dunn, called the death "a total 
shock" and added: "She gave her whole life giving to other people. She 
touched a lot of lives and did a lot for her country."

Dunn's political career was a series of firsts: first woman to chair the 
Washington State Republican Party; first freshman woman to win a place in 
the House Republican leadership team; and the highest ranking Republican 
woman in leadership as the vice chair of the conference.

Former U.S. Sen. Slade Gorton, R-Wash., said that besides breaking the glass 
ceiling for Republican women in the House, Dunn had a great personality -- 
"outgoing and friendly and concerned."

"She was a major part of my life as she was a major part of the political 
life of the state of Washington," he said.

Known for her work to cut the inheritance tax, for promoting small and 
women-owned businesses, and for sponsoring the Amber Alert bill to locate 
missing children, Dunn was an influential senior member of the House 
Republican caucus. She served as a member of the Ways and Means Committee, 
vice chairwoman of the Homeland Security Committee and a member of the 
caucus campaign team. She was a frequent spokeswoman for the House, once 
giving the Republican response to a State of the Union Address by President 
Bill Clinton. She helped run three Republican national conventions.

"While I never took a pledge on term limits, I do believe that our nation is 
better served if from time to time we senior members step aside to allow 
individuals with fresh ideas to challenge the status quo in Congress," she 
said when she retired.

Bush praised Dunn on her retirement, calling her "a superb legislator and a 
strong leader who has stood for the best of Washington state's values and 
who has improved the lives of its people."

Gov. Chris Gregoire said that in addition to being a political leader, Dunn 
"was a devoted wife and mother and always kept her family as her top 
priority."

As the first woman to chair the state GOP, Dunn led the party to significant 
gains in the Legislature, then repeated that feat in Congress, said Rep. Doc 
Hastings, who succeeded her as the state's most senior Republican.

When she was elected to the House in 1992, she was the only Republican in 
the nine-member delegation. Two years later, five more Republicans, 
including Hastings, joined her.

Dunn's greatest accomplishment in Congress -- and a focus of years of effort 
-- was cutting the inheritance tax, or what Dunn and other opponents called 
the death tax.

"She was a tireless advocate of that," Hastings said, adding that Dunn also 
should be remembered for the Amber Alert law and as a strong advocate of 
free trade. Washington is one of the most trade-dependent states in the 
nation.

She is survived by her husband, Keith Thomson; sons Bryant Dunn, Reagan Dunn 
and Angus Thomson; and two grandchildren.


J  :]





>From: Mark Solomon <msolomon at moscow.com>
>To: "J Ford" <privatejf32 at hotmail.com>
>Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Congress looses two more
>Date: Thu, 6 Sep 2007 11:46:26 -0700
>
>That was former WA Representative Jennifer Dunn. Not currently in Congress.
>
>m.
>
>>Senator Craig Thomas dies; Republican Sen. Craig Thomas of Wyoming, who 
>>had been battling leukemia since November, died Monday night.
>>
>>
>>A Republican Congresswomen died earlier this week also, of a lung 
>>embolism, but I can't find the story to say who it was...anyone else know? 
>>  I just saw a brief news snip-it on Fox News last night but didn't sit 
>>and watch it beyond a couple of seconds and I can't seem to find it on 
>>their site.
>>
>>That makes 3 Republican Congressional's that have died just this week.
>>
>>
>>
>>J  :]
>>
>>_________________________________________________________________
>>Can you find the hidden words?  Take a break and play Seekadoo! 
>>http://club.live.com/seekadoo.aspx?icid=seek_hotmailtextlink1
>

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