Jenny Durkan
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. In October 2009, President Barack Obama appointed her United States Attorney for the Western District of Washington. She held that position until September 2014.
Jenny Durkan | |
|---|---|
| 56th Mayor of Seattle | |
| In office November 28, 2017 – December 31, 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Tim Burgess |
| Succeeded by | Bruce Harrell |
| United States Attorney for the Western District of Washington | |
| In office October 1, 2009 – September 30, 2014 | |
| President | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | John McKay |
| Succeeded by | Brian T. Moran |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 19, 1958 Seattle, Washington, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Dana Garvey |
| Relatives | Martin Durkan (father) |
| Education | University of Notre Dame (BA) University of Washington (JD) |
Durkan was elected the 56th mayor of Seattle in 2017, becoming the city's first female mayor since the 1920s and its second openly LGBT elected mayor. She took first place in the nonpartisan August primary and defeated urban planner and political activist Cary Moon in the November general election. 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. In December 2020, she announced that she would not seek reelection after the end of her mayoral term.