The linebacker: Bruce Harrell

High school valedictorian, college football standout and UW-educated lawyer who built a career in his hometown, where a mayor told him at age 12 he should consider public office.

Ashli Blow

Ashli Blow Jul 11, 2025

Feb 6, 2018

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                <h1>The linebacker: Bruce Harrell</h1>
                <h2><p>High school valedictorian, college football standout and UW-educated lawyer who built a career in his hometown, where a mayor told him at age 12 he should consider public office.</p></h2>
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               <p>By <a href="/author/ashli-blow/">Ashli Blow</a></p> 
              <p><time datetime="2025-02-04T05:00:00-08:00">Feb 6, 2018</time></p>
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            <p>High school valedictorian, college football standout and UW-educated lawyer who built a career in his hometown, where a mayor told him at age 12 he should consider public office.</p><p>This is the fourth in a series of illustrated bios we've prepared on each of Seattle's 2013 mayoral candidates. Each offers a quick, graphic glimpse of the contender' life, career and professional accomplishments. This week, we give you Seattle City Councilmember Bruce Harrell. Also check out bio-graphics for Mayor <a href="http://crosscut.com/2013/04/29/politics-government/114153/mike-mcginn-profile/?ref=dev.cascadepbs.org">Mike McGinn</a>, <a href="http://crosscut.com/2013/05/13/2013-seattle-mayor-race-games/114381/seattle-mayor-peter-steinbrueck-biographic-seat/?ref=dev.cascadepbs.org">Peter Steinbrueck</a>, <a href="http://crosscut.com/2013/05/28/2013-seattle-mayor-race-games/114682/activist-kate-martin-for-seattle-mayor/?ref=dev.cascadepbs.org">Kate Martin</a>, <a href="http://crosscut.com/2013/06/03/2013-seattle-mayor-race-games/114720/seattle-mayor-candidate-ed-murray/?ref=dev.cascadepbs.org">State Senator Ed Murray</a>, City Councilmember <a href="http://crosscut.com/2013/05/20/2013-seattle-mayor-race-games/114540/hometown-achiever-bruce-harrell/?ref=dev.cascadepbs.org">Bruce Harrell</a> or City Councilmember <a href="http://crosscut.com/2013/05/06/2013-seattle-mayor-race-games/114288/detective-tim-burgess/?ref=dev.cascadepbs.org">Tim Burgess</a> (though he recently dropped out of the race) — and brace yourself for more.  To track all of Crosscut's ongoing coverage of the 2013 race, visit our <a href="http://crosscut.com/politics-government/2013-seattle-mayor-race-games/?ref=dev.cascadepbs.org">Mayor Games</a> page.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="http://crosscut.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Harrell_illustration.jpg" class="kg-image" alt loading="lazy"></figure>
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High school valedictorian, college football standout and UW-educated lawyer who built a career in his hometown, where a mayor told him at age 12 he should consider public office.

This is the fourth in a series of illustrated bios we've prepared on each of Seattle's 2013 mayoral candidates. Each offers a quick, graphic glimpse of the contender' life, career and professional accomplishments. This week, we give you Seattle City Councilmember Bruce Harrell. Also check out bio-graphics for Mayor Mike McGinn, Peter Steinbrueck, Kate Martin, State Senator Ed Murray, City Councilmember Bruce Harrell or City Councilmember Tim Burgess (though he recently dropped out of the race) — and brace yourself for more. To track all of Crosscut's ongoing coverage of the 2013 race, visit our Mayor Games page.

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By Ashli Blow

Ashli Blow is a Seattle-based freelance writer who talks with people — in places from urban watersheds to remote wildernesses — about the environment around them. She’s been working in journal