Representative William Richard Ratchford

William Richard Ratchford (May 24, 1934 – January 2, 2011) was an American politician and attorney from Connecticut who served six terms in the Connecticut House of Representatives, including two as speaker, and three terms in the United States House of Representatives. A member of the Democratic Party, he represented Connecticut’s 5th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1979 to 1985, contributing to the legislative process during three terms in office and representing the interests of his constituents during a significant period in American political history.

Ratchford was born in Danbury, Connecticut, on May 24, 1934. He was educated in the Danbury public schools and graduated from Danbury High School in 1952. He went on to attend the University of Connecticut at Storrs, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1956 and was a member of the Chi Phi fraternity. Pursuing a legal career, he enrolled at Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C., and earned his Juris Doctor degree in 1959. That same year he was admitted to the Connecticut bar and began practicing law in Danbury in 1960. In addition to his legal and early political activities, he served in the Connecticut National Guard from 1959 to 1965, combining military service with the start of his professional and public life.

Ratchford’s political career began in state government. He was elected to the Connecticut House of Representatives in 1962 and went on to serve six terms in that body. Demonstrating leadership and legislative skill, he rose to become Speaker of the Connecticut House of Representatives in 1969, a position he held until 1972. During this period he was also active in party affairs, serving as a delegate to the Connecticut State Democratic conventions from 1960 to 1974. His prominence in state politics led him to seek national office; in 1974 he ran for Congress from Connecticut’s 5th congressional district but was defeated by Republican Ronald A. Sarasin.

Following his 1974 congressional defeat, Ratchford remained influential in Connecticut public policy and administration. He served as chairman of the Governor’s Blue Ribbon Committee on Nursing Homes from 1975 to 1976, where he helped examine and recommend improvements in long-term care and regulatory oversight. From 1977 to 1978 he served as Connecticut’s Commissioner on Aging, focusing on issues affecting older residents of the state. On the national political stage, he was selected as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1972, reflecting his growing stature within the party. These roles kept him at the center of policy development and party leadership in the years immediately preceding his eventual election to Congress.

In 1978, Ratchford made a second bid for the U.S. House of Representatives, again seeking the seat in the 5th congressional district that Ronald A. Sarasin vacated to run for governor. In that election he defeated Republican State Senator George Guidera by 8,273 votes, securing his place in the 96th Congress. He was re-elected in 1980 and 1982, serving three consecutive terms from January 3, 1979, to January 3, 1985. As a member of the House of Representatives during a period marked by shifting economic policies, Cold War tensions, and evolving domestic priorities, Ratchford participated in the democratic process at the federal level and contributed to the legislative work of the chamber on behalf of his Connecticut constituents. He also continued his involvement in national party affairs, serving as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1984.

Ratchford’s congressional service came to an end following the 1984 election. In that year, amid President Ronald Reagan’s landslide re-election and a strong national showing for Republicans, he was defeated by Republican challenger John G. Rowland, who would later become governor of Connecticut. Ratchford left Congress in January 1985 after three terms in office. His tenure in the House coincided with significant debates over federal spending, social programs, and foreign policy, and he was recognized as a steady Democratic voice from New England during this transformative era.

After leaving Congress, Ratchford remained active in public affairs, education, and government service. He returned to Washington, D.C., and joined the faculty of his alma mater, Georgetown University, where he taught and shared his experience in law and legislative practice with students. He also worked as a lobbyist, drawing on his legal training and congressional background to advise clients on federal policy and legislative strategy. In 1993 he re-entered federal service when he was appointed Associate Administrator in the Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs at the U.S. General Services Administration, a position he held until 2001. In that role he served as a key liaison between the GSA, Congress, and state and local governments, helping to manage communications and policy coordination across levels of government.

William Richard Ratchford spent his later years in the Washington metropolitan area and was a long-time resident of Arlington, Virginia. He died on January 2, 2011, at the age of 76, from complications of Parkinson’s disease. His career spanned local legal practice, state legislative leadership, federal legislative service, and senior administrative roles in the executive branch, reflecting a lifelong commitment to public service at both the state and national levels.