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Albert Rosellini
Albert Dean Rosellini (January 21, 1910 – October 10, 2011) was an American politician who served as the 15th governor of Washington from 1957 to 1965 and was both the first Italian-American and Roman Catholic governor elected west of the Mississippi River.
During a political career that spanned 40 years, Rosellini was an activist leader who worked to reform the state's prisons and mental health facilities, expand the state highway system, create the University of Washington's medical and dental schools, and build the second floating bridge across Lake Washington.
Rosellini holds the record as the longest-lived U.S. state governor in American history, having reached the age of 101 years, 262 days.
Born in Tacoma, Washington, Rosellini was the only son of Italian immigrants, Annunziata (Pagni) and Giovanni Rosellini, a saloon operator. He worked his way through college and law school at the University of Washington, where he was a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity, graduating in 1933 with his classmate Hugh J. Rosellini (no relation), a childhood friend and later state Supreme Court justice.
At the age of 29, Rosellini was elected to the Washington State Senate as its youngest member, representing the 33rd district in south Seattle—the home of many Italian immigrants. A New Deal Democrat supported by the Washington Commonwealth Federation, Rosellini served from 1939 to 1957, and rose to the rank of majority leader. He was elected governor in the 1956 Washington gubernatorial election, winning by 108,732 votes.
As governor, Rosellini coupled personal charm with decades of political experience, developing a reputation for decisiveness and ability to move ahead on long-stalled projects. Don Hannula, longtime political columnist for The Seattle Times, wrote in 1996, "He was not a man of empty rhetoric. He got things done. His legacy is everywhere." In his 1997 biography, Rosellini, Immigrant's Son and Progressive Governor, author Payton Smith wrote: "He was attracted to issues where progress could be made and measured . . . Budget reform, economic development, transportation, higher education and institutions were the core matters to which he devoted his talent and governmental know-how." Rosellini was narrowly re-elected in 1960, beating Republican Lloyd J. Andrews by 17,865 votes.
In order to promote economic development, Rosellini established a state Department of Commerce and championed the Seattle World's Fair in 1962. He shepherded construction of the former longest floating bridge in the world, the original Evergreen Point Floating Bridge, which opened in 1963 and carried State Route 520 over Lake Washington from Seattle to Medina. It was renamed for Rosellini in 1988. After 53 years of service, it was replaced by a new floating bridge at the same site in 2016, which also bears his name. In addition, he was a tireless supporter of higher education, strengthening the state university system and developing a system of junior colleges. During his time in office, Rosellini also reformed the state budget process and balanced the budget.
Rosellini was defeated in his bid for a third term in 1964 by Republican Daniel J. Evans, a state legislator and civil engineer. Rosellini entered the primary unopposed by his ostensive rivals for the Democratic nomination, Lieutenant Governor John Cherberg or Attorney General John J. O'Connell, but did encounter opposition from several unknown candidates who collectively garnered close to 50,000 votes.
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Albert Rosellini
Albert Dean Rosellini (January 21, 1910 – October 10, 2011) was an American politician who served as the 15th governor of Washington from 1957 to 1965 and was both the first Italian-American and Roman Catholic governor elected west of the Mississippi River.
During a political career that spanned 40 years, Rosellini was an activist leader who worked to reform the state's prisons and mental health facilities, expand the state highway system, create the University of Washington's medical and dental schools, and build the second floating bridge across Lake Washington.
Rosellini holds the record as the longest-lived U.S. state governor in American history, having reached the age of 101 years, 262 days.
Born in Tacoma, Washington, Rosellini was the only son of Italian immigrants, Annunziata (Pagni) and Giovanni Rosellini, a saloon operator. He worked his way through college and law school at the University of Washington, where he was a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity, graduating in 1933 with his classmate Hugh J. Rosellini (no relation), a childhood friend and later state Supreme Court justice.
At the age of 29, Rosellini was elected to the Washington State Senate as its youngest member, representing the 33rd district in south Seattle—the home of many Italian immigrants. A New Deal Democrat supported by the Washington Commonwealth Federation, Rosellini served from 1939 to 1957, and rose to the rank of majority leader. He was elected governor in the 1956 Washington gubernatorial election, winning by 108,732 votes.
As governor, Rosellini coupled personal charm with decades of political experience, developing a reputation for decisiveness and ability to move ahead on long-stalled projects. Don Hannula, longtime political columnist for The Seattle Times, wrote in 1996, "He was not a man of empty rhetoric. He got things done. His legacy is everywhere." In his 1997 biography, Rosellini, Immigrant's Son and Progressive Governor, author Payton Smith wrote: "He was attracted to issues where progress could be made and measured . . . Budget reform, economic development, transportation, higher education and institutions were the core matters to which he devoted his talent and governmental know-how." Rosellini was narrowly re-elected in 1960, beating Republican Lloyd J. Andrews by 17,865 votes.
In order to promote economic development, Rosellini established a state Department of Commerce and championed the Seattle World's Fair in 1962. He shepherded construction of the former longest floating bridge in the world, the original Evergreen Point Floating Bridge, which opened in 1963 and carried State Route 520 over Lake Washington from Seattle to Medina. It was renamed for Rosellini in 1988. After 53 years of service, it was replaced by a new floating bridge at the same site in 2016, which also bears his name. In addition, he was a tireless supporter of higher education, strengthening the state university system and developing a system of junior colleges. During his time in office, Rosellini also reformed the state budget process and balanced the budget.
Rosellini was defeated in his bid for a third term in 1964 by Republican Daniel J. Evans, a state legislator and civil engineer. Rosellini entered the primary unopposed by his ostensive rivals for the Democratic nomination, Lieutenant Governor John Cherberg or Attorney General John J. O'Connell, but did encounter opposition from several unknown candidates who collectively garnered close to 50,000 votes.
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