Otis Ray Bowen

Notable Facts

  • Served as U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (Under President Ronald Reagan) from 1985-1989
  • Served as Speaker of the House in the 95th General Assembly (1966-1968)
  • Served as Speaker of the House in the 96th General Assembly (1968-1970)
  • Served as Speaker of the House in the 97th General Assembly (1970-1972)

Offices

Indiana House
Marshall County
In office
Nov 7, 1956 to Nov 5, 1958

Party: Republican
Assumed: General Election
1 year, 11 months, 28 days
Indiana House
Marshall County
In office
Nov 9, 1960 to Nov 9, 1966

Party: Republican
Assumed: General Election
Left: Redistricting
District 8
In office
Nov 9, 1966 to Nov 8, 1972

Party: Republican
Assumed: General Election
Left: Ran For Other Office
12 years, 2 days
Governor
Statewide
In office
Jan 8, 1973 to Jan 12, 1981

Party: Republican
Assumed: General Election
Left: Term Limited
8 years, 6 days
Otis Ray Bowen spent 22 years, 6 days in office in Indiana, all of it at the state level.

Elections

1972–Governor WON
General Election–Tuesday, November 7, 1972
56.77%
Otis Ray Bowen*, Republican, 1,203,903 votes
42.46%
Matthew Empson Welsh, Democratic, 900,489 votes
 0.40%
Berryman S. Hurley, Indiana American Independent, 8,525 votes
 0.30%
Finley C. Campbell, Peace and Freedom, 6,278 votes
 0.08%
John Marion Morris, Socialist Labor, 1,652 votes
Out of 2,120,847 votes casts, the margin of victory was 303,414 (14.31%)
Permalink for this election
1976–Governor WON
General Election–Tuesday, November 2, 1976
56.84%
Otis Ray Bowen (i)*, Republican, 1,236,555 votes
Lt. Governor: Robert Dunkerson Orr
42.63%
Larry Conrad, Democratic, 927,243 votes
Lt. Governor: Thomas Joseph Teague
 0.45%
Daniel P. Talbot, American, 9,850 votes
Lt. Governor: Don L. Osterman
 0.08%
Samuel L. Washington, U.S. Labor, 1,676 votes
Out of 2,175,324 votes casts, the margin of victory was 309,312 (14.21%)
Permalink for this election
In the 2 races for which we have results, Otis Ray Bowen had a record of 2-0. That includes a record of 2-0 in 2 general elections.