Tom McCall
 was an American Republican politician and journalist who served as the 30th governor of Oregon from 1967 to 1975.[1][2] Born in Egypt, Massachusetts, and educated at the University of Oregon with a degree in journalism, McCall built a career in broadcasting and reporting before entering politics as Oregon's secretary of state in 1965.[1][2] As governor, McCall advanced a series of environmental initiatives that prioritized resource conservation alongside economic development, including the 1967 Beach Bill establishing public ownership of Oregon's coastline, the creation of the Department of Environmental Quality in 1969, the cleanup of pollution in the Willamette River, and Senate Bill 100 in 1973 mandating statewide land-use planning to curb urban sprawl.[1] He also signed the Oregon Bottle Bill in 1971, the first U.S. law requiring deposits on beverage containers to reduce litter.[1] These measures reflected McCall's commitment to preserving Oregon's natural assets, exemplified by his 1971 remark urging tourists to "visit us again and again... but for heaven’s sake, don’t come here to live," which underscored his focus on maintaining quality of life over rapid population growth despite criticisms that it discouraged economic expansion.[1] McCall died of cancer in Portland at age 69, leaving a legacy as a maverick leader who shaped Oregon's modern identity through pragmatic environmental stewardship.[1][2]
Early Life
Family Background and Childhood
Thomas William Lawson McCall was born on March 22, 1913, in Egypt, Massachusetts, a locality near Scituate, on the estate known as Dreamwold owned by his maternal grandfather, the financier and copper magnate Thomas W. Lawson.[1][3] His parents were Henry McCall, a rancher, and Dorothy Lawson McCall, daughter of the elder Lawson; the couple had relocated temporarily from Oregon for the birth, as McCall was conceived during their time in the state.[4][5] McCall's paternal grandfather was Samuel W. McCall, a prominent Republican who served as Governor of Massachusetts from 1919 to 1921 and as a U.S. Congressman.[2] McCall's early childhood was marked by the contrasting influences of wealth and frontier life, as his parents received a ranch along the Crooked River near Prineville, Oregon, from his maternal grandfather, who had amassed a fortune through speculative investments in mining and finance.[1] Until age nine, McCall split his time between the opulent Dreamwold estate in Massachusetts—complete with servants, stables, and extensive grounds—and the rugged Prineville ranch, where he experienced rural self-sufficiency amid Central Oregon's high desert.[6] In 1919, the family permanently settled in Oregon, first in Portland before moving to the Prineville ranch, immersing young McCall in Western ranching culture and fostering an affinity for the outdoors that later shaped his environmental policies.[7] This bifurcated upbringing exposed McCall to both Eastern elite society and Western individualism; his mother's Bostonian roots contrasted with his father's practical ranching pursuits, though family finances were strained after Thomas W. Lawson's financial empire collapsed in the 1920s, leading to the loss of Dreamwold and other assets.[8] McCall later reflected on the ranch years as formative, involving hands-on activities like herding cattle and navigating the isolation of Central Oregon, which built his resilience amid economic hardships following the elder Lawson's downturn.[4]Education and Early Career Influences
McCall attended Redmond High School in Oregon following his family's relocation from Massachusetts amid financial difficulties stemming from his maternal grandfather's losses.[4] [9] He enrolled at the University of Oregon, majoring in journalism, though his academic performance suffered due to a strong interest in social activities.[4] In 1936, he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism from the University of Oregon.[1] [2] [10] Following graduation, McCall began his professional career in journalism, initially taking an unpaid public relations position with the Latah County Wheat Growers association in Moscow, Idaho.[11] He worked as a sportswriter for newspapers in Idaho before transitioning to reporting roles, including at the East Oregonian in Pendleton, Oregon.[1] These early positions honed his skills in investigative reporting and public communication, laying the foundation for his later ventures in broadcasting and political analysis.[5] His exposure to regional issues through these outlets, combined with the practical demands of deadline-driven journalism, fostered a pragmatic approach to storytelling that emphasized factual accountability over sensationalism.[1] The influences of McCall's formative years were marked by a blend of familial resilience—rooted in his parents' adaptability after economic setbacks—and the rigors of journalism training, which instilled a commitment to public service and environmental awareness drawn from Oregon's natural landscapes.[4] [3] While not formally political at this stage, his early career immersed him in community-oriented narratives, subtly shaping his future advocacy for land-use planning and resource conservation during his political tenure.[7]Journalism Career
Broadcasting Beginnings
McCall entered broadcasting in the early 1940s after initial newspaper roles, joining KGW radio in Portland as a news announcer and commentator in 1942.[4] His work under the pseudonym "Lawson McCall"—adopted because his first name was deemed too common—began with nightly programs that emphasized his distinctive voice and rhetorical flair, providing public exposure that later aided his political recognition.[7] This period marked his shift from print journalism to on-air commentary, where he covered local and national news with a focus on Oregon issues.[1] Following World War II service as a Navy war correspondent, McCall returned to Portland in January 1946 and launched a nightly radio talk show on KEX, building on his pre-war experience at KGW (which shared affiliations with KEX during that era).[12] The program allowed him to engage audiences directly on political and social topics, honing his skills as a broadcaster known for articulate, opinionated analysis rather than neutral reporting.[6] By blending journalism with commentary, McCall established a platform that critiqued government policies and promoted conservation themes, foreshadowing his later environmental advocacy.[1] His radio tenure through the late 1950s solidified his reputation in Oregon media, transitioning seamlessly into television while maintaining radio duties, though early broadcasting emphasized audio formats that suited his verbal prowess over visual presentation.[5] Sources from Oregon historical archives confirm this progression without reliance on partisan narratives, attributing his success to empirical appeal rather than institutional favoritism.[7]Rise as Political Commentator
McCall's transition to political commentary began in radio during the early 1940s. In 1942, he was hired by KGW in Portland as a commentator, hosting a nightly program under the pseudonym Lawson McCall, which built initial public recognition through discussions of current events.[4] Following military service in World War II and a political appointment as administrative assistant to Governor Douglas McKay from 1949 to 1952, McCall resumed broadcasting, hosting a nightly talk show on KEX radio that focused on news analysis.[5] By 1952, he had joined KGW radio, expanding his platform for political insights.[1] In the 1950s, McCall extended his commentary to television at KGW-TV, where he gained prominence for his forthright political analysis and editorializing, often challenging establishment views with a reputation for independence.[1] His unsuccessful 1954 congressional campaign underscored his growing visibility, but he refocused on broadcasting, leveraging TV to critique policy and amplify regional issues.[13] McCall's rise accelerated through acclaimed documentaries that blended investigative journalism with political advocacy. In 1958, he produced Crisis in the Klamath Basin, examining conflicts over southern Oregon timberlands.[1] This was followed by Farewell at Celilo in 1959, documenting the cultural and economic impacts of a dam's construction on Native American communities.[1] The pinnacle came with Pollution in Paradise in 1962, an hour-long KGW-TV special aired on November 21 that exposed severe air and water contamination along the Willamette River, earning the Sigma Delta Chi award for excellence and catalyzing public demand for environmental reforms.[3][10] These works, grounded in on-site reporting and data on industrial effluents, positioned McCall as Oregon's preeminent media voice on politically charged topics like resource management and conservation, fostering widespread name recognition ahead of his electoral pursuits.[1]Entry into Politics
State Legislative Service
McCall did not serve as a member of the Oregon State Legislature. His initial foray into public service came through an appointment as executive assistant to Republican Governor Douglas McKay in 1949, where he handled press relations and policy matters.[5] In 1954, he sought election to the U.S. House of Representatives for Oregon's 3rd congressional district, securing the Republican nomination by defeating incumbent Homer D. Angell in the primary but losing the general election to Democrat Edith Green.[1] McCall's first successful statewide campaign occurred in 1964, when he was elected Oregon Secretary of State as a Republican, defeating Democrat Harmon Plumb with 55 percent of the vote.[2] During this pre-legislative phase, McCall leveraged his journalism background to influence policy discussions, including environmental and resource issues, though without holding a legislative seat.[1]Tenure as Secretary of State
McCall was elected Oregon Secretary of State in the November 1964 general election, defeating Democrat Alfred Corbett amid a statewide Democratic landslide that saw President Lyndon B. Johnson carry the state by over 200,000 votes.[12] He assumed office on January 4, 1965, succeeding Corbett, and held the position until January 9, 1967, when he transitioned to the governorship following his 1966 election victory.[1][7] The four-year term was abbreviated as McCall utilized the role explicitly as a stepping stone to higher office, leveraging his visibility from prior journalism and legislative experience to build momentum for his gubernatorial bid.[12] As Secretary of State, responsibilities included administering elections, registering corporations and securities, managing state archives, and commissioning notaries—duties carried out routinely during his tenure, which encompassed oversight of the 1966 midterm and gubernatorial elections.[2] No distinctive reforms, legislative initiatives, or controversies are recorded as emanating from his office in this period, with historical accounts emphasizing the post as preparatory rather than substantive in policy impact.[1][7]Gubernatorial Campaigns
1966 Election
In the Republican primary election held on May 24, 1966, McCall secured the nomination decisively, receiving 215,959 votes or 91.41% against minor challengers, leveraging his incumbency as Secretary of State and reputation for fiscal prudence and environmental awareness from prior journalistic exposés on pollution.[14] His primary victory reflected strong party support in a year when Oregon Republicans sought to reclaim the governorship following Democratic control under Mark Hatfield's transition to the U.S. Senate.[1] McCall's general election opponent was Robert W. Straub, the Democratic state treasurer who had won his party's nomination amid a competitive field emphasizing progressive economic policies. The campaign centered on McCall's signature theme of "livability," which emphasized sustainable economic growth without eroding Oregon's natural beauty, clean air, and recreational opportunities—a message rooted in his earlier broadcasts highlighting industrial pollution and urban sprawl threats.[4][12] McCall positioned himself as a moderate Republican advocating balanced development, critiquing unchecked expansion while promising job creation; Straub countered with calls for expanded social services and infrastructure investment, though both candidates shared environmental sympathies that foreshadowed Oregon's emerging policy priorities.[3] On November 8, 1966, McCall won the governorship with 55.3% of the vote (377,346 ballots) to Straub's 44.7% (305,008), a margin exceeding 72,000 votes that demonstrated broad appeal across urban and rural districts.[15] The victory aligned with a Republican resurgence in Oregon, buoyed by national trends favoring the party post-Lyndon Johnson's midterm popularity dip, and propelled McCall into office on January 9, 1967, as the state's 30th governor.[1]1970 Re-election
![Tom McCall in 1970 Marion County Voters' Pamphlet][float-right]Incumbent Republican Governor Tom McCall announced his candidacy for re-election in 1970, seeking a second term after his 1966 victory.[16] As the popular incumbent, McCall faced no significant opposition in the Republican primary and secured the nomination without contest.[17] The Democratic primary, held on May 26, 1970, featured a competitive eight-way race, which State Treasurer Robert W. Straub won, setting up a rematch with McCall from their 1966 contest.[18] Straub had narrowly lost to McCall four years earlier but positioned himself as a strong challenger emphasizing fiscal conservatism and state development. In the general election on November 3, 1970, McCall defeated Straub decisively, receiving 369,964 votes (55.52%) to Straub's 293,892 (44.10%), a margin of approximately 76,072 votes.[19] McCall's campaign highlighted his first-term accomplishments, including environmental protections and balanced economic growth, while defending innovative responses to social unrest. In early September 1970, he issued an eight-page press release justifying the Vortex I rock festival at McIver State Park, which drew over 35,000 attendees peacefully and averted potential riots during the American Legion convention in Portland by channeling anti-war protests away from the city.[20] This approach underscored McCall's pragmatic handling of 1960s-era civil disturbances, contrasting the event's minimal incidents—one broken window—with broader national turmoil.[20] Voter turnout and McCall's strong performance reflected approval of his progressive Republican governance amid Oregon's shifting political landscape.[21]