U.S. Representative

Blanchard was elected as a Democrat to the United States House of Representatives from Michigan's 18th District for the 94th United States Congress and to the three succeeding Congresses, serving from January 3, 1975 to January 1, 1983. During that time, he was responsible for legislation providing federal loan guarantees for Chrysler Corporation that saved the company from a likely bankruptcy.

Governor of Michigan

Blanchard as governor.

Blanchard opted not to run for re-election to the U.S. House in 1982 and was elected Governor of Michigan, defeating Republican Richard Headlee, a Farmington Hills insurance company executive.^[1] Blanchard served two terms as governor (1983–1991) until his defeat by Republican state senator John Engler in 1990.^[2] Blanchard was the first Democratic governor to serve in 20 years since John Swainson, who left office in 1963.

On January 1, 1983, he took over what was described as "the toughest governor's job in America." His state faced a $1.7 billion deficit, the threat of bankruptcy, record high unemployment of more than 17 percent and the worst credit rating in America. Working with leaders of business, labor, education and local government, the governor put together a strategy for Michigan's future and raised income taxes and fees necessary to keep it on track. Blanchard completed his work as Michigan's 45th governor having balanced eight consecutive state budgets, improving the state's credit rating, established a $422 million "rainy-day fund," and producing a solvency dividend of more than $1 billion in savings from reduced borrowing costs.

Newsweek credited Governor Blanchard with leading "one of the most dramatic economic turnabouts in the recent history of state government," and national publications such as U.S. News & World Report listed him among the best governors in America, one of the innovators and energizers who made things work in an era of declining federal aid. However, in 1990 Blanchard lost his campaign for a third term to State Senator John Engler.^[3][4]

Later career

After losing the gubernatorial election to John Engler in 1990, Blanchard became a partner in the Washington law firm of Verner, Liipfert, Bernhard, McPherson and Hand. He also chaired Bill Clinton's successful campaign for president in Michigan in 1992.

President Clinton appointed Blanchard United States Ambassador to Canada, a position he held from 1993 to 1996. In 2002, Blanchard again ran for governor but lost his primary bid to Jennifer Granholm. As of 2004, he was a partner in the Washington D.C. law firm of DLA Piper U.S. and resides in Beverly Hills, Michigan. He serves as Chairman of Meridian International Center^[5] and on the Advisory Board^[6] of the Institute for Law and Politics at the University of Minnesota Law School and was President of the Foundation for the National Archives. Blanchard also co-chaired of the Canada-United States Law Institute.

Blanchard served on the board of Canadian pipeline corporation Enbridge for over 10 years and advised them following the 2010 Kalamazoo River oil spill.^[7] He also served as a member of the "Debt Reduction Task Force"^[8] at the Bipartisan Policy Center.^[9] and was a board member of Nortel^[10] and Chrysler Group LLC (2009–2012).

Blanchard is a member of the ReFormers Caucus of Issue One.^[11]