Bruun grew up in Portland, Oregon and graduated from Lincoln High School. He earned a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Oregon in 1988 and an MBA from Portland State University in 1992.[1][2] He worked as a commercial and corporate banker for more than ten years before joining his family's general contracting company Lorentz Bruun as vice president and chief financial officer.[1]
Political campaigns
1996
In April 1996, Bruun sought the Republican nomination for a special election to complete the term for the United States House of Representatives seat in Oregon's 3rd congressional district, vacated when Ron Wyden won election to the United States Senate. Bruun lost the Republican primary to Mark Brunelle, who then lost the special election to Earl Blumenauer. However, Bruun was unopposed for the Republican nomination for the November election for the full term because Brunelle failed to register for the May primary.[3] Blumenauer went on to defeat Bruun to win re-election to the seat.
2004, 2006, 2008
In 2004, Bruun won a close election for a vacant seat in the Oregon House of Representatives over Jim Morton.[4] He was re-elected in 2006, and again in 2008, facing Democratic West Linn city councilor Michele Eberle.
Bruun unsuccessfully challenged Democratic incumbent Kurt Schrader for a seat in the House of Representatives in Oregon's 5th congressional district. In May 2010, Bruun won the Republican nomination against Fred Thompson.[5][6]
Personal
Bruun and his wife Alison live in West Linn with their two children and is a principal at Hubbell Communications, a public relations firm in Portland.[1][7]
