Bruce F. Dammeier (born 1961) is an American politician and engineer who served as the county executive of Pierce County, Washington, from January 3 2017 to January 1 2025. A member of the Republican Party, he previously held elected office in both chambers of the Washington State Legislature, representing the 25th legislative district in the House of Representatives (2009–2013) and the State Senate (2013–2016).
Early life and education
Born in Tacoma, Washington, Dammeier graduated with distinction from the United States Naval Academy, earning a Bachelor of Science in ocean engineering. He later obtained a Master of Science in engineering from the University of Washington.
Military service
After completing his education, Dammeier served in the United States Navy from 1979 to 1987.
Local government
From 2001 to 2009, he served two terms on the Puyallup School Board, gaining experience in local education governance.
Washington State Legislature
In 2008, Dammeier was elected to the Washington House of Representatives for the 25th district, defeating Democratic opponent Rob Cerqui with 54 % of the vote. He was re‑elected in 2010 with 64 % of the vote. In 2012, he successfully ran for the Washington State Senate, defeating Democrat Eric Herde with 62 % of the vote. While in the Senate, he served as the Majority Caucus Vice Chair.
Pierce County Executive
Choosing not to seek a second Senate term, Dammeier entered the 2016 race for Pierce County Executive. He placed second in the primary, advancing to the general election, where he narrowly defeated Democrat Rick Talbert with 52 % of the vote, becoming the first Republican elected to the position since 1996. He was re‑elected in 2020, defeating former Democratic state representative Larry Seaquist with 55 % of the vote. During his tenure, Dammeier oversaw county operations, infrastructure projects, and public safety initiatives.
Personal life
Dammeier is married and resides in the Tacoma‑Puyallup area. His professional background includes work as an engineer, and he maintains involvement in community and civic organizations.
References
Information summarized from publicly available biographical entries, including the Wikipedia article on Bruce Dammeier and associated electoral records.