Thomas S. Foley, 1929–2013

The House speaker who sought consensus

As speaker of the House, Thomas Foley saw the truly hard work of Congress as creating coalitions across party lines. “It’s a lot easier to blow up bridges and to block the crossings,” he said, speaking as the most prominent casualty of the Republican uprising that swept out the Democratic majority in 1994 and launched the era of sharper partisanship that continues today.

Foley, the son of a judge in Spokane County, Wash., “established a reputation for civility from the get-go,” said the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. After defeating 22-year Republican incumbent Walt Horan to become a congressman in 1964, he threw a reception “for the man he defeated.” Foley’s 1975 election as chairman of the House Agriculture Committee was the first step on his ascent to the highest rank of party leadership.

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