Walt Horan

Who was Walt Horan?

Walter Franklin "Walt" Horan was an American politician, a congressman from eastern Washington for 22 years. First elected in 1942, he was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives for eleven terms, from January 3, 1943 to January 3, 1965. Horan represented the Fifth Congressional District of Washington, which included Spokane and Wenatchee.

A fruit grower and packer, Horan was born and raised near Wenatchee, the younger son of Michael and Margaret A. Horan. His father Mike was a pioneer fruit grower in the valley. 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. His wife, Helen L. "Sally" Campbell of Eureka, Montana, was a college classmate. Horan and his older brother John 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.