Joe McDermott (politician)
| Joe McDermott | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of King County Council from the 8th district | |
|
Assumed office November 2010 | |
| Preceded by | Jan Drago |
| Member of the Washington Senate from the 34th district | |
|
In office October 2007 – November 2010 | |
| Preceded by | Erik Poulsen |
| Succeeded by | Sharon Nelson |
| Member of the Washington House of Representatives from the 34th district | |
|
In office January 2001 – October 2007 | |
| Preceded by | Dow Constantine |
| Succeeded by | Sharon Nelson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 1, 1967 |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Michael Culpepper |
| Residence | West Seattle, Washington |
| Website | joemcdermott.org |
J. Joseph McDermott (born July 1, 1967), usually known as Joe McDermott, is an American politician from the state of Washington and a member of King County Council, representing the 8th district. Elected to the county council in 2010, he previously served ten years as a state legislator: seven years in the Washington House of Representatives and three years in the Washington State Senate.
McDermott was elected to the state House in 2000, taking office in January 2001 and serving until 2007. The 34th district – which he has represented both in the House and the Senate – includes the communities of West Seattle, White Center, Burien (part) and the islands of Vashon and Maury. A Democrat, he was re-elected to the House by wide margins in 2002, 2004 and 2006, winning over 80% of the vote in 2006.[1]
Following the resignation of Sen. Erik Poulsen on September 5, 2007, McDermott expressed an interest in being appointed to the 34th district seat in the Washington State Senate. On 13 October 2007, the precinct committee officers (PCOs) of the 34th district recommended McDermott for appointment with 54 of the 65 PCOs voting for him.[2] Two days later, King County Council unanimously appointed him to the seat.[3] He ran unopposed for the remaining two years of Poulsen's Senate term in 2008 but was not a candidate for re-election in 2010. Instead, he ran for King County Council, seeking the 8th district seat that Dow Constantine had vacated when elected King County Executive. The seat had temporarily been filled by former Seattle city councilwoman Jan Drago, who had pledged prior to her appointment that she would not run for the position in 2010. McDermott won the seat handily and was sworn-in on November 24, 2010.
After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in history and political science from Gonzaga University, he earned a Master of Public Administration from the University of Washington. He went on to work for the Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney and the Seattle School District.
McDermott is a third-generation resident of West Seattle, where he and his husband, Michael Culpepper, continue to reside.[4] He is the first openly gay member of King County Council.[5] Joe McDermott is not related to U.S. House Representative Jim McDermott.[6]
References
- ↑ Washington Secretary of State: election results, retrieved 2007-09-15
- ↑ "PCOs Recommend Joe McDermott for Senate Seat", 34th District Democrats, retrieved 2007-10-14
- ↑ "Rep. Joe McDermott appointed to replace Poulsen in Senate" (– Scholar search), Seattle Post-Intelligencer, retrieved 2007-10-16
- ↑ "Rep. Joe McDermott", HouseDemocrats.WA.gov, archived from the original (– Scholar search) on 2007-08-31, retrieved 2007-09-12
- ↑ Andrew, Mike (2009-12-11), "Joe McDermott to King County Council?", Seattle Gay News, retrieved 2011-10-05
- ↑ Young, Bob (2011-07-28), "Trio face off for District 8 King County Souncil seat", Seattle Times, retrieved 2016-01-04