Jenny Durkan

Jenny Durkan
56th Mayor of Seattle
In office
November 28, 2017 – December 31, 2021
Preceded byTim Burgess
Succeeded byBruce Harrell
United States Attorney for the Western District of Washington
In office
October 1, 2009 – September 30, 2014
PresidentBarack Obama
Preceded byJohn McKay
Succeeded byBrian T. Moran
Personal details
Born
Jenny Anne Durkan

(1958-05-19) May 19, 1958 (age 66)
Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseDana Garvey
RelativesMartin Durkan (father)
EducationUniversity of Notre Dame (BA)
University of Washington (JD)

Jenny Anne Durkan (born May 19, 1958) is an American attorney, former federal prosecutor, and politician who served as the 56th mayor of Seattle, Washington. She is the daughter of Martin Durkan. Durkan is a member of the Democratic Party. After earning her Juris Doctor from University of Washington School of Law in 1985, Durkan began practicing law as a criminal defense lawyer and civil litigator.[1] In October 2009, President Barack Obama appointed her United States Attorney for the Western District of Washington. She held that position until September 2014.[2]

Durkan was elected the 56th mayor of Seattle in 2017, becoming the city's first female mayor since the 1920s, its second openly LGBT elected mayor, and first elected mayor born in Seattle.[3][4][5][6] She took first place in the nonpartisan August primary and defeated urban planner and political activist Cary Moon in the November general election.[7] She and her partner, Dana Garvey, have two sons.

Durkan was criticized for her response to the George Floyd protests in Seattle and her handling of protesters and law enforcement in the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone.[8] In December 2020, she announced that she would not seek reelection after the end of her mayoral term.[9]

  1. ^ Garner, Julie. "U.S. Attorney Jenny Durkan is known as a straight shooter". University of Washington Magazine. No. September 2014. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
  2. ^ Jerry Markon and Juliet Eilperin (September 25, 2014). "Attorney General Eric Holder to Step Down," Washington Post
  3. ^ "Seattle has just elected its first lesbian mayor". Independent.co.uk. November 8, 2017.
  4. ^ Beekman, Daniel (November 7, 2017). "Jenny Durkan defeats Cary Moon to become Seattle's first woman mayor since the 1920s". The Seattle Times. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
  5. ^ Beekman, Daniel (November 8, 2017). "Cary Moon concedes to Jenny Durkan in Seattle mayoral election". The Seattle Times. Retrieved November 8, 2017.
  6. ^ Berger, Knute. "Being Seattle's mayor has never been easy | Cascade PBS". www.cascadepbs.org. Retrieved August 19, 2024.
  7. ^ Beekman, Daniel (August 1, 2017). "Jenny Durkan leads in Seattle mayor's race, followed by Cary Moon and Nikkita Oliver". The Seattle Times. Retrieved August 1, 2017.
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference Baker was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference Beekman was invoked but never defined (see the help page).