Rep. Jim McDermott retires from Congress after 14 terms
As a Navy psychiatrist, U.S. Rep. Jim McDermott helped Vietnam vets cope with the mental toll of conflict. “I got into politics because I was angry about the war,” recalls the 14-term congressman, who did a fellowship at UW Medical Center before enlisting. He spent the next half-century in government: first as a state legislator, then as a representative from the 7th District, which includes the UW campus.
His frustration with war never waned (opponents called him “Baghdad Jim” for protesting the Iraq invasion), and he never lost sight of America’s mental health epidemic. The 79-year-old Democrat, who just retired from Congress, has supported many UW causes, including diversity. That’s why he received the 2016 Dr. Samuel E. Kelly Award at the Multicultural Alumni Partnership Breakfast in October.
And he’s not quite done with public service—or with the UW. “I think I’ll maybe come back and teach a little bit,” he says. See you around campus, Congressman!