Walt Horan

A fruit grower and packer, Horan was born and raised near Wenatchee, the younger son of Michael and Margaret A. (Rankin) Horan. His father Mike (1854–1919) was a pioneer fruit grower in the valley and the son of Irish immigrants.[2][3][4] Walt served in the U.S. Navy as a gunner's mate during World War I, and earned a bachelor's degree from Washington State College in Pullman in 1925.[5] His wife, Helen L. "Sally" Campbell of Eureka, Montana, was a college classmate. Horan and his older brother John (1896–1954)[2][6] operated one of the largest fruit ranches in the state. He ran for Congress in 1942, primarily to improve the representation of the agricultural sector.[5]

Horan ran for Congress in 1940 from the 5th congressional district, but lost the general election to the two-term incumbent, Democrat Charles H. Leavy. Leavy resigned in August 1942 to become a federal judge on the U.S. District Court in western Washington, which left the seat vacant. In the Republican primary in September, Horan defeated Spokane attorney and civic leader Joe Albi,[7] then easily defeated former two-term U.S. Senator and 1940 gubernatorial candidate Clarence Dill in the general election in November. Horan's victory was the first win by a Republican in the district in twenty years.[8]

In Congress, he acted as chairman of the House District of Columbia Committee, and sat on the Agriculture, Legislative, State, Commerce, Justice, and Judiciary Sub-Committees of the House Appropriations Committee. Horan voted in favor of the Civil Rights Acts of 1957,[9] 1960,[10] and 1964,[11] as well as the 24th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.[12]

Two years out of office, Horan and his wife Sally (1904–95) were in the Philippines in December 1966 to visit their daughter and her family. He suffered a fatal heart attack in Manila at age 68.[5][17] Horan and his wife are buried in the Wenatchee City Cemetery.

The plaza at the federal courthouse in Spokane is named for Horan.[18] The brothers' fruit operation continues as McDougall & Sons. Following John's stroke (and death in 1954),[2] Jacquelyn (1924–2008),[19] eldest of his four daughters, and her husband Robert D. McDougall (1924–2012)[20][21] took over management of Horan Brothers after Walt Horan's son Michael ran the orchard until it was taken by the government and turned into a park. All of the fruit trees were cut down.[3]

• United States Congress. "Walt Horan (id: H000786)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• Washington Secretary of State – History Makers – Walt Horan
• Walt Horan at Find a Grave