Bruce Broussard (politician) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bruce Broussard
Personal details
Born	1938/1939 (age 86–87) Louisiana, United States
Political party	Libertarian (2016–present)
Other political affiliations	Republican (before 2016)
Spouse	Norma
Residence	Portland, Oregon

Bruce Broussard was born in 1938 or 1939. He is an American political activist, a veteran, and a journalist. He lives in Portland, Oregon. Bruce is famous for hosting a TV show called Oregon Voter Digest. He has also run for many different political jobs since the 1970s, but he hasn't won any of them.

Bruce Broussard's Early Life and Work

Bruce Broussard grew up in Louisiana. He went to school in Houston, Texas. In 1960, he joined the United States Marine Corps. After serving in Vietnam, Broussard was sent to Portland. There, he worked as a recruiter for the Marines.

After leaving the military, he stayed in Portland. He became active in local groups. These included the Urban League of Portland and the NAACP. He also joined Veterans of Foreign Wars. He helped out at the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

Broussard also worked for a newspaper. It was called the Portland Observer. He also worked for the KBOO radio station. For a while, he owned a Christmas tree farm. His farm was located near Sandy, Oregon.

Bruce Broussard's Political Journey

Bruce Broussard has run for many political offices. He has tried to get elected since the 1970s.

Running for State and National Offices

In 1976 and 1978, Broussard ran for the Oregon House of Representatives. He ran as a Republican. Both times, he lost to Wally Priestley. In 1982, he ran for Governor of Oregon. He finished fourth in the Republican primary election.

In 2004, Broussard ran for the United States Senate. He came in second place in the Republican primary. He got 22 percent of the votes. However, he lost to Al King. Former Governor Vic Atiyeh supported Broussard in this race.

During his 2004 Senate campaign, Broussard shared his views. He was against a tax increase called Ballot Measure 30. He also supported having a national healthcare system. This system would help everyone get medical care.

In 2006, he was the Republican choice for Oregon's 3rd congressional district. He won the primary election by write-in votes. In the main election, he got 23 percent of the votes. The winner was Democrat Earl Blumenauer.

Running for Local Offices in Portland

Broussard has run for Mayor of Portland three times. He ran in 2000, 2016, and 2020. He did not win any of these elections.

He also ran for Portland City Commissioner in 1996. He tried to become a Multnomah County Commissioner in 2014 and 2018. He was not successful in these races either. In 2022, Broussard ran for Multnomah County Chair. He finished fifth out of six candidates.

Changing Political Parties

For a long time, Bruce Broussard was a Republican. In 2016, he switched to the Libertarian Party. He said that America needed a strong third party. He wanted a party that could truly represent people.

He also said he would keep working with his Republican and Democrat friends. But he looked forward to bringing a voice to politics. This voice would be fiscally conservative and socially liberal. He also supported Gary Johnson for president in 2016.

In 2022, Broussard appeared in a TV ad. He supported Christine Drazan for governor of Oregon.

Bruce Broussard's Personal Life

Bruce Broussard lives in North Portland with his wife, Norma. He can speak Louisiana Creole very well. He also plays the washboard in a Creole band.