Jeremie Dufault
{{short description|American politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Jeremie Dufault
|state_house = Washington
|district = 15th
| alongside = Chris Corry
|term_start = January 13, 2025
|term_end =
|predecessor = Bryan Sandlin
|term_start1 = January 14, 2019
|term_end1 = January 9, 2023
|predecessor1 = David Taylor
|successor1 = Bryan Sandlin
|birth_name = Jeremie Joseph Dufault
|birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1978}}
|birth_place = Selah, Washington, U.S.
|education = University of Pennsylvania (JD)
Harvard University (JD)
|party = Republican
|battles = War in Afghanistan
|branch = {{Flag|United States Army}}
}}
Jeremie Joseph Dufault{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/jagcpersonnelact2009wash/page/336/|title=textsJAGC personnel and activity directory and personnel policies|work=Office of the Judge Advocate General|year=2009|access-date=2021-12-21}} (born 1978){{Cite web|title=Legislative Manual 2021-2022|url=https://leg.wa.gov/LIC/Documents/Historical/Legislative%20Manuals/Legislative%20Manual%20-%20Red%20Book%202021_ONLINE.pdf|publisher=Washington State Legislature}} is an American attorney, businessman, and politician serving as a member of the Washington House of Representatives from the 15th district. First elected in 2018, Dufault's district included the eastern half of Yakima County.{{Cite web|title=About Rep. Jeremie Dufault|url=https://jeremiedufault.houserepublicans.wa.gov/about/|access-date=2020-06-04|website=Jeremie Dufault|language=en-US}}
Early life and education
Dufault was born in Selah, Washington and raised in Yakima, Washington, where attended A.C. Davis High School. A member of the United States Army Reserve, Dufault served in Kuwait and Afghanistan. He was also a member of the Judge Advocate General's Corps. Dufault graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and earned a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School.{{Cite web|title=About - Elect Jeremie Dufault - State Representative - 15th District - Position 2|url=https://www.electjeremie.com/elect-jeremie-dufault-about.php|access-date=2020-06-04|website=www.electjeremie.com}}[https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/183004/jeremie-dufault Jeremie Dufault's Biography]
Career
After returning to Yakima, Washington, Dufault became a real estate developer, specializing in senior, student, and family housing.
In 2017, Dufault was elected to the Selah City Council.{{cite news |last1=Schurk |first1=Marie |title=Selah city councilmember running for State House seat |url=https://kimatv.com/news/local/selah-city-councilmember-running-for-state-house-seat |access-date=12 March 2025 |publisher=KIMA TV |date=16 April 2018}}
Dufault was elected to the Washington House of Representatives in 2018 and took office on January 14, 2019.{{Cite web|title=Jeremie Dufault|url=https://ballotpedia.org/Jeremie_Dufault|access-date=2020-06-04|website=Ballotpedia|language=en}}
In 2022, the new redistricting map moved Dufault's home into the 14th Legislative District and he did not run for reelection. In 2023, a U.S. District Judge Robert Lasnik ruled that the 15th district was in violation of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.{{cite news |last=Beekman |first=Daniel |date=March 16, 2024 |title=Judge redraws WA's legislative map after lawsuit over Latino voters |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/judge-approves-new-wa-legislative-map-to-give-latinos-more-voting-power/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=October 24, 2024}} The new map moved Selah back into the 15th district.{{cite news |last1=O'Connor |first1=John Kennedy |title=Former Washington State Representative running for 15th Legislative District |url=https://kimatv.com/news/election/former-washington-state-representative-running-for-15th-legislative-district |access-date=3 December 2024 |publisher=KIMA |date=4 April 2024}}
In April 2025, House Speaker Laurie Jinkins barred Dufault from the House chamber for the rest of the session, after repeated outbursts on the legislative floor. Dufault was permitted to remotely participate in debates and to vote.Simone Carter, [https://www.theolympian.com/news/politics-government/article305004816.html GOP lawmaker barred from House Chamber for rest of session after outburst], The Olympian (April 26, 2025).
Awards
- 2020 Guardians of Small Business. Presented by NFIB.{{cite web |URL=https://www.nfib.com/content/news/guardian-of-small-business/44-washington-legislators-named-guardians-of-small-business/ |title=44 Washington Legislators Named Guardians of Small Business |website=nfib.com |date=July 15, 2020 |accessdate=September 11, 2021}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Washington House of Representatives}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dufault, Jeremie}}
Category:Republican Party members of the Washington House of Representatives
Category:21st-century members of the Washington State Legislature
Category:United States Army personnel of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)
Category:University of Pennsylvania alumni
Category:Harvard Law School alumni
Category:People from Yakima County, Washington