George R. Nethercutt Jr., who first ran for Congress in 1994 and defeated Thomas S. Foley of Washington state to become the first House speaker to be impeached by voters since the Civil War era, died Friday in Colorado. He was 79.
Nethercutt's death near Denver was confirmed by his son, Elliott, who said the cause of death was complications from a neurological disorder. The Spokane, Washington, Spokesman-Review reported that Nethercutt had been diagnosed with progressive supranuclear palsy, a rare brain disorder that affects walking, balance, eye movement and swallowing.
Washington state voters approved a referendum in 1992 limiting lawmakers to three terms. Mr. Foley, who died in 2013, not only opposed the limit but successfully challenged it in court. After forcing Mr. Foley out of office in 1994, Mr. Nethercutt vowed not to serve more than three terms, but broke that pledge in 2000 and was re-elected two more times.
Nethercutt, a 50-year-old Spokane lawyer and political novice, won 50.9% of the vote to Foley's 49%, blocking Foley's 16th two-year term. His victory was part of a Republican midterm election landslide galvanized by Newt Gingrich's “Contract with America” campaign. The Republican tide also shifted the makeup of the Washington state House delegation from an 8-1 Democratic majority to seven Republicans and two Democrats.
George Rector Nethercutt Jr. was born in Spokane on Oct. 7, 1944, the son of George and Nancy (Sampson) Nethercutt. His father served as president of the local school board in the 1960s.
George Jr. earned his bachelor's degree in English from Washington State University in 1967 and his law degree from Gonzaga University in Spokane in 1971.
He clerked for U.S. District Judge Raymond Plummer in Alaska, then worked as chief of staff for Alaska Senator Ted Stevens, and then practiced law in his home state, specializing in adoption cases. He served as chairman of the Spokane County Republican Party and was an active supporter of George Bush's 1988 presidential campaign.
In 1992, Washington state voters approved a ballot measure limiting House members to three two-year terms and Senate members to two six-year terms. Foley sued, and the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the provision unconstitutional, saying states lack the power to impose limits on federal office.
After his victory in the 1994 Republican primary, Mr. Nethercutt accused Mr. Foley of losing touch with voters, but Mr. Nethercutt's promise to uphold his self-imposed three-term limit was seen as crucial. (Mr. Nethercutt repeatedly cited the title of his rival's lawsuit, “Foley v. People of the State of Washington.”)
Mr. Nethercutt ran a campaign with the backing of national Republicans and the National Rifle Association and positioned himself as the most approachable candidate. In one ad, he appeared with his dog, Chestnut, and complained that Mr. Foley was blaming him for everything except kicking the dog.
“I'm not going to hurt you, Chestnut,” said Mr. Nethercutt, hugging the dog.
During the final debate, Mr. Foley was forced to respond: “George, I'm not going after the dog, trust me.”
Foley is the first House speaker to be voted out of office since New Jersey Republican William Pennington was removed from his position in 1860.
Nethercutt was appointed to the House Appropriations Committee and is also a co-founder of the Congressional Diabetes Caucus (his daughter had childhood diabetes).
In 2004, President George W. Bush urged him to challenge Sen. Patty Murray of Washington state for reelection. He lost and retired from public office.
Nethercutt founded a nonpartisan foundation to promote civics education in partnership with Washington State University's Thomas S. Foley Institute for Public Policy and Public Service, and in 2010 wrote “In Tune With America: Our History in Song.”
In addition to his son, he is survived by his wife, Mary Beth (Socha) Nethercutt, whom he married in 1977, his daughter Meredith Nethercutt Krisher, his sister Nancy Nethercutt Gustafson, his brother John Irving Nethercutt, and a granddaughter.