Gary Locke Bio
Gary Faye Locke (born January 21, 1950) is an American politician, attorney, and diplomat whose career has spanned state government, federal cabinet service, and international diplomacy. He served as the 21st Governor of Washington from 1997 to 2005, becoming the first Chinese American governor in the contiguous United States and the first Asian American to hold that office in the lower 48 states. Locke later joined the Obama administration as United States Secretary of Commerce from 2009 to 2011 and as U.S. Ambassador to China from 2011 to 2014. Known for a moderate and pragmatic approach to public policy, he has remained active in civic, business, and educational affairs in the Pacific Northwest.
Gary Locke Early Life and Background
Gary Faye Locke was born on January 21, 1950, in Seattle, Washington, and spent his earliest years in the Yesler Terrace public housing project. He is a third-generation Chinese American, with his paternal grandfather having left Jilong village in Taishan, Guangdong, in the 1890s to work as a houseboy in Olympia, Washington, in exchange for English lessons. His father, James “Jimmy” (Youh K.) Locke, was born in Taishan in 1917 and moved to the United States in 1931, while his mother, Julie Locke, was originally from Hong Kong, then a British Crown Colony. James Locke served as a staff sergeant in the U.S. Fifth Armored Division during World War II and died on January 5, 2011, at the age of 93.
Locke is the second of five children and did not learn to speak English until he entered kindergarten at the age of five. He graduated with honors from Seattle’s Franklin High School in 1968, where he achieved the rank of Eagle Scout and later received the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award from the Boy Scouts of America. Through a combination of part-time jobs, scholarships, and financial aid, he enrolled at Yale University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science in 1972. He then went on to receive his Juris Doctor from the Boston University School of Law in 1975.
Path to U.S. Politics
After completing law school, Gary Faye Locke returned to the Pacific Northwest and began working as a prosecutor, building a professional reputation in Washington State legal circles. He has cited Wing Luke, a Chinese American attorney and Seattle politician who died in a 1965 plane crash, as a formative inspiration for his own pursuit of public service. In 1982, Locke was elected from a South Seattle district to the Washington House of Representatives, where he eventually rose to chair the Appropriations Committee.
Eleven years later, in 1993, Locke won election as King County Executive, defeating the incumbent Republican Tim Hill. During that period he also worked in private legal practice, sharpening the executive experience that would shape his next move. In 1996, he launched a successful campaign for the governorship, positioning himself as a moderate Democrat focused on fiscal responsibility and pragmatic governance.
Gary Locke Career
Early Career (1982–1996)
Gary Faye Locke’s political career began in 1982 with his election to the Washington House of Representatives from a South Seattle district. Over the next decade, he built a reputation as a careful legislator and ascended to chair the chamber’s Appropriations Committee, giving him direct influence over state budgeting and fiscal policy.
In 1993, Locke transitioned to countywide office when he was elected King County Executive, becoming the chief executive of one of the largest counties in Washington State. His victory over incumbent Tim Hill signaled his growing appeal beyond the Democratic base, and his tenure helped him prepare for the statewide stage.
Governor of Washington Breakthrough (1997–2005)
In 1996, Gary Faye Locke won both the Democratic primary and the general election for Governor of Washington, becoming the first Chinese American governor in United States history. He was sworn in as the 21st governor of the state in January 1997, and he was later reelected in 2000. His political committee was fined $2,500 by state regulators in 1997 after admitting to campaign finance law violations.
Locke gained national attention when he was chosen to deliver the Democratic response to President George W. Bush’s 2003 State of the Union Address. His administration drew both praise and criticism, including pushback from fellow Democrats for adopting a “no-new-taxes” approach during the early-2000s economic downturn, as well as controversies over spending cuts and the suspension of voter-passed school initiatives. In July 2003, Locke announced that he would not seek a third term, citing a desire to spend more time with his family.
Secretary of Commerce Era (2009–2011)
On February 25, 2009, President Barack Obama nominated Gary Faye Locke to serve as United States Secretary of Commerce, and the Senate confirmed him by unanimous consent on March 24, 2009. He was sworn in on March 26 and officially joined the cabinet in May 2009, becoming the first Chinese American to lead the Commerce Department.
Locke was one of three Asian Americans in Obama’s cabinet, alongside Secretary of Energy Steven Chu and Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki. He was widely regarded as a popular member of the cabinet among business leaders and the executive branch, and a 2011 financial disclosure placed him among the wealthier officials in the federal government. He resigned the post on August 1, 2011, to take on a new diplomatic assignment.
Ambassador to China Era (2011–2014)
Following the resignation of Jon Huntsman Jr., President Obama nominated Gary Faye Locke to serve as U.S. Ambassador to China, and the Senate confirmed him unanimously on July 27, 2011. He was the first Chinese American to hold the post, and his arrival in Beijing was widely covered in Chinese media. A photograph of him carrying his own knapsack and ordering coffee at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport went viral on Chinese social media, where many praised what they saw as his unpretentious, low-key style.
His ambassadorship included high-profile moments, most notably his role in sheltering Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing in April 2012, which drew sharp criticism from Chinese authorities. In late November 2013, Locke announced that he would step down to spend more time with his family in Seattle. Max Baucus, a former United States Senator from Montana, was confirmed to succeed him, taking the oath of office on February 21, 2014.
Notable Events and Milestones
Gary Faye Locke’s career is marked by a series of historic firsts, including becoming the first Chinese American governor in U.S. history, the first Chinese American Secretary of Commerce, and the first Chinese American U.S. Ambassador to China. His 2003 response to the State of the Union elevated his profile on the national stage, and his ambassadorship gave him a distinctive role in managing one of the most complex bilateral relationships in the world.
Gary Locke Career Highlights
Governor of Washington Highlights
Gary Faye Locke served two terms as Governor of Washington, winning election in 1996 and reelection in 2000. His tenure was defined by his historic status as the first Chinese American governor, his work on state budgeting during an economic downturn, and his national visibility following the 2003 State of the Union response. His decision not to seek a third term in 2003 ended a two-term run that shaped his lasting legacy in Pacific Northwest politics.
Other Achievements & Roles
Beyond elected office, Gary Faye Locke served as interim president of Bellevue College from June 2020 until July 2023, overseeing the largest institution in the Washington Community and Technical Colleges system. In January 2021, he was elected chairman of the Committee of 100, a prominent organization of Chinese American leaders. He has also served on the boards of AMC Theatres and the global health nonprofit PATH, and in November 2023 he joined Dorsey & Whitney as a senior advisor.
Gary Locke Family
Family Background and Lineage
Gary Faye Locke comes from a multigenerational American family with deep roots in the Pacific Northwest and in Guangdong, China. His paternal grandfather left Jilong village in Taishan in the 1890s and settled in Olympia, Washington, working as a houseboy in exchange for English lessons. His father, James “Jimmy” (Youh K.) Locke, was born in Taishan in 1917, immigrated to the United States in 1931, served as a U.S. Army staff sergeant in World War II, and raised his family in Seattle. His mother, Julie Locke, was originally from Hong Kong.
Personal Life
Gary Faye Locke’s first marriage, to a law school classmate, ended in divorce in the 1970s. On October 15, 1994, he married Mona Lee, a television reporter for KING 5 in Seattle and former Miss Asian America; the couple divorced in 2015. They had three children: Emily Nicole, born in March 1997; Dylan James, born in March 1999; and Madeline Lee, born in November 2004. Locke is a Protestant and has long resided in the Seattle area, including in Bellevue, Washington.