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{{cite web|url=https://www.q13fox.com/news/former-washington-governor-john-d-spellman-dies-at-91|title=Former Washington governor John D. Spellman dies at 91|publisher=q13fox.com|date=January 16, 2018|accessdate=August 15, 2021}}</ref>

{{cite web|url=https://www.q13fox.com/news/former-washington-governor-john-d-spellman-dies-at-91|title=Former Washington governor John D. Spellman dies at 91|publisher=q13fox.com|date=January 16, 2018|accessdate=August 15, 2021}}</ref>

Spellman worked to consolidate departments and to replace the old patronage system with one based on  merit.<ref name="Tribune"/> Spellman supervised the building the domed station, the Kingdome, that provided the first home for the former [[Seattle Seahawks]] and the current [[Seattle Mariners]], and initiated early efforts to deal with uncontrolled growth in the sprawling county. He was re-elected as the county executive in 1973 and 1977.<ref name="Seattle"/>

Spellman worked to consolidate departments and to replace the old patronage system with one based on  merit. Spellman supervised the building the domed station, the Kingdome, that provided the first home for the former [[Seattle Seahawks]] and the current [[Seattle Mariners]], and initiated early efforts to deal with uncontrolled growth in the sprawling county. He was re-elected as the county executive in 1973 and 1977.<ref name="Seattle"/>

Spellman first ran for governor in 1976 and was the top Republican in the state's blanket primary, but he lost the general election to Democrat [[Dixy Lee Ray]] even thoug [[Gerald Ford]] carried Washington State in his campaign against [[Jimmy Carter]]. In 1980, Spellman defeated state Representative Duane Lyman Berentson (1928-2013) in the gubernatorial primary. Berentson campaigned for Spellman in the general election against Dixy Lee Ray. [[Ronald Reagan]] won the presidential election and is the last Republican presidential nominee to have carried Washington State.<ref>Richard W. Larsen and Lee Moriwaki, "From rivals to  friends: Berentson stumps for Spellman," ''The Seattle Times, September 18, 1980.</ref>  

Spellman first ran for governor in 1976 and was the top Republican in the state's blanket primary, but he lost the general election to Democrat [[Dixy Lee Ray]] even thoug [[Gerald Ford]] carried Washington State in his campaign against [[Jimmy Carter]]. In 1980, Spellman defeated state Representative Duane Lyman Berentson (1928-2013) in the gubernatorial primary. Berentson campaigned for Spellman in the general election against Dixy Lee Ray. [[Ronald Reagan]] won the presidential election and is the last Republican presidential nominee to have carried Washington State.<ref>Richard W. Larsen and Lee Moriwaki, "From rivals to  friends: Berentson stumps for Spellman," ''The Seattle Times, September 18, 1980.</ref>