Senate Democrats welcome their newest member

Sen. Joe McDermott, D-West Seattle

The Senate Democratic Caucus proudly embraces its newest member, West Seattle’s Joe McDermott. McDermott was selected by the King County Council to fill the vacancy resulting from the resignation of Sen. Erik Poulsen, who has taken a position with the Washington Public Utility Districts Association.

“We look forward to welcoming Joe to the Senate,” said Majority Leader Lisa Brown, D-Spokane. “We know he is passionate about education, and he will continue the 34th District tradition of strong advocacy for the environment.”

“It’s a journey of not much more than a few dozen yards between the House and Senate, but I’m tremendously eager to get started,” McDermott added. “Our students need help in completing high school, and our citizens yearn for the day when they all stand equal before the law in all matters.”

The move represents a homecoming for McDermott, who worked as a legislative aide for Sen. Janice Niemi in the 1990 session. “It’s great to be back,” McDermott said.

McDermott has represented the 34th Legislative District in the House of Representatives since 2000. He has been a member of the Appropriations, Education, and State Government & Tribal Affairs committees, as well as the Appropriations Subcommittee on Education. In the past session, he was the House Democrats’ education policy leader.

In addition to being a champion of education, McDermott is an effective advocate for elections, public disclosure and civil rights issues. Chief among his accomplishments are legislation that set up alternative assessments to the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL), and reconstituted the membership and duties of the State Board of Education. He also sponsored measures adding sexual orientation to the state’s anti-discrimination laws and creating a domestic partnership registry. Long concerned about secondhand smoke, McDermott introduced Washington’s first comprehensive ban on smoking in indoor public places.

McDermott has served as a senior budget analyst for the Seattle Public Schools and worked for Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney John Ladenburg. A third-generation native of West Seattle, he earned a bachelor’s degree from Gonzaga University and a master’s degree from the University of Washington’s Evans School of Public Affairs. McDermott and his partner, Michael, live in West Seattle, where he keeps active with the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce, Vashon Allied Arts and Highline Historical Society. McDermott also serves on the boards of the West Seattle Helpline and Southwest Youth & Family Services.

We look forward to the many outstanding contributions Sen. McDermott will continue to make on behalf of the residents of his district and those across Washington.