Shannon Braddock | |
|---|---|
| Executive of King County | |
Acting | |
| Assumed office April 1, 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Dow Constantine |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1969or1970(age 55–56) Bellingham,Washington,U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | Western Washington University (BA) University of Washington (MPP) |
Shannon Braddock (born 1969 or 1970) [1] is an American politician who was appointed King County Executive on April 1,2025,after Dow Constantine resigned. [1] A Democrat,she is the first female King County executive. [1] [2]
Braddock was raised in Bellingham,Washington,where her father was a City Council member and state legislator before serving as secretary of the state Department of Social and Health Services. [1] She graduated from City Council,and later the University of Washington where she earned her Master of Public Policy. [1]
Prior to working in the King County government,Braddock worked as a congressional aide,an aide to the Democratic Lieutenant Governor Bob Bullock,and a legislative representative for Lafayette PTA. [1] [3] In 2010,she was hired as chief of staff to then-County Councilmember Joe McDermott after she volunteered for his campaign. [1] [3] [4] In 2017,Braddock began working in the County Executive office under Constantine,moving up to Deputy Executive in 2023. [2]
Braddock ran for the Seattle City Council in 2015 in the open District 1 seat,which encompasses West Seattle and South Park. [5] She faced eight other challengers,which included Lisa Herbold,an aide to councilmember Nick Licata,Phil Tavel,a pro-tempe judge and public defender,and Brianna Thomas,a non-profit organizer. [5] In the August primary,Herbold came in first,with 30.15% of the vote,and advanced to the general election with Braddock,who earned 27.78%. [6] [7]
Both Braddock and Herbold ran as progressives,but Braddock received $200,000 in outside spending,primarily from the Metropolitan Seattle Chamber of Commerce. [1] [8] In the November general election,Herbold narrowly defeated Braddock,49.57% to 49.59%,a margin of 39 votes. [8] [9]
In 2018,Braddock ran for the open 34th district Senate seat after incumbent Sharon Nelson decided to retire at the end of her term. [10] [11] The 34th district includes White Center,West Seattle,Vashon Island,and part of Burien. [10] She faced 10 other challengers,which included Joe Nguyen,a senior manager at Microsoft,and Sofia Aragon,a governmental-affairs adviser for the Washington State Nurses Association. [11] In the August primary,Nguyen came in first,with 31% of the vote,and advanced to the general election with Braddock,who earned 24%. [12] [13]
Braddock focused her campaign on gun safety,early education,and tax reform,specifically creating a capital gains tax and lowering property taxes for low and middle-income individuals. [11] Nguyen campaigned on increasing teacher pay,making health care and housing affordable,strengthening public transit,and protecting the environment without placing an undue tax burden on low-income households. [11] Braddock was endorsed by The Seattle Times,Constantine,McDermott,34th District Democrats,and the Alliance for Gun Responsibility. [11] [14] Nguyen was endorsed by U.S. representative Pramila Jayapal,The Stranger,34th District Democrats,King County Democrats,and state senators. Maralyn Chase and Bob Hasegawa. [11] [14] Braddock outraised Nguyen,who refused corporate PAC money. [3] [14]
In the November general election,Nguyen defeated Braddock,58.29% to 41.71%. [1] [15]
On April 1,2025,Braddock was appointed King County Executive after Constantine resigned to become CEO of Sound Transit. [2] She initially served on an acting basis until the King County Council voted unanimously to fill the position on an interim bases until the November general election. [16] Braddock announced a "200 day plan" for her abbreviated term,which focused on passing a responsible budget and preparing the county for possible funding cuts from a hostile federal government. [16]