{{Short description|American politician (1949–2025)}} {{infobox officeholder | image = Bruce Niemi (2025) (cropped).jpg | caption = Niemi speaking in 2025 | office1 = Chairman of the Tulsa County Democratic Party | term_start1 = 2022 | term_end1 = May 2025 | predecessor1 = Amanda Swope | successor1 = Sarah Gray<ref>{{cite news |last1=Krehbiel |first1=Randy |title=Political notebook: Legislature faces busy week |url=https://tulsaworld.com/news/state-regional/government-politics/article_506c5d52-e6f3-44d3-991e-8526aa52c123.html#tracking-source=home-the-latest |access-date=May 5, 2025 |work=Tulsa World |date=May 4, 2025 |language=en}}</ref> | state_house2 = Oklahoma | district2 = 78th | term_start2 = 1991 | term_end2 = 1993 | predecessor2 = Frank F. Pitezel | successor2 = Flint Breckinridge | birth_date = {{birth date|1949|4|24}} | birth_place = Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S. | death_date = {{death date and age|2025|12|1|1949|4|24}} | death_place = | party = Democratic | education = University of Oklahoma }}
'''Bruce Niemi''' (April 24, 1949 – December 1, 2025) was an American politician who served in the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 1991 to 1993.
==Life and career== Bruce Niemi was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on April 24, 1949, to Kathlyn Elizabeth Korten and Edward Touri Niemi. He attended Bishop Kelley High School and graduated from Edison Preparatory School in 1967. He later graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a bachelor's degree and Oklahoma State University with a master's and PhD in education. He also completed the University of the South's education for ministry program.<ref name="Obit" />
He worked as a political science teacher at Tulsa Community College and ran for the Oklahoma House of Representatives in 1990 as a member of the Democratic Party.<ref>{{cite news |title=STATE HOUSE |url=https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/1990/08/19/state-house/62555138007/ |access-date=December 16, 2024 |work=The Oklahoman |date=August 19, 1990}}</ref> He was elected and served in the 43rd Oklahoma Legislature from 1991 to 1993.<ref>{{cite web |title=History |url=http://www.odl.state.ok.us/almanac/2005/14-histry.pdf |access-date=16 December 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060218215829/http://www.odl.state.ok.us/almanac/2005/14-histry.pdf |archive-date=February 18, 2006}}</ref><ref name="Krehbiel-1" /> After leaving the legislature, he worked as the president of Oklahoma Industrial Hemp Foundation and served on the Tulsa County Election Board.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Wood |first1=Mindy Ragan |title=Advocates push for increased hemp regulations in Oklahoma |url=https://www.enidnews.com/news/advocates-push-for-increased-hemp-regulations-in-oklahoma/article_07286af2-5722-11ee-8a3c-3fca2a9587ec.html |access-date=December 16, 2024 |work=Enid News and Eagle |date=September 19, 2023 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Hybels |first1=Amy |title=Tulsa County party leaders come together to address poll worker shortage |url=https://www.fox23.com/news/tulsa-county-party-leaders-come-together-to-address-poll-worker-shortage/article_ee450116-6497-11ee-8d08-fb109ee3153b.html |access-date=December 16, 2024 |work=KOKI-TV |date=October 6, 2023 |language=en}}</ref> He also served as the chair of the Tulsa County Democratic Party from 2022 to 2025.<ref name="Obit" />
In December 2024, Niemi announced his candidacy for the Oklahoma House 71st district special election to succeed Amanda Swope.<ref name="Krehbiel-1">{{cite news |last1=Krehbiel |first1=Randy |title=Political notebook: General revenue drops ahead of budget forecast |url=https://tulsaworld.com/news/state-regional/government-politics/political-notebook-general-revenue-drops-ahead-of-budget-forecast/article_89137400-b89f-11ef-9abb-ff120f2cd892.html |access-date=December 16, 2024 |work=Tulsa World |date=December 14, 2024 |language=en}}</ref> He did not file to run.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Loveless |first1=Tristan |title=Tulsa-area special elections: HD 71, HD 74 draw crowds |url=https://nondoc.com/2025/01/29/tulsa-area-special-elections-hd-71-hd-74-draw-crowds/ |access-date=March 21, 2025 |work=NonDoc |date=January 30, 2025}}</ref>
==Personal life and death== Niemi married Tulsa County special district judge Theresa Dreiling and the couple had two children.<ref name="Obit" /> He died on December 1, 2025, at the age of 76.<ref>{{cite news|date=December 1, 2025|title=Former Oklahoma State Representative Bruce Niemi passes away |newspaper=KOKI-TV |url=https://www.fox23.com/news/former-oklahoma-state-representative-bruce-niemi-passes-away/article_34398650-de41-4874-b307-e3afd9e9039e.html |access-date=December 1, 2025}}</ref><ref name="Obit">{{cite web |title=Bruce Edward Niemi |url=https://www.moorefuneral.com/obituaries/bruce-niemi/#!/Obituary |website=moorefuneral.com |publisher=Moore Funeral Homes and Crematory |access-date=December 3, 2025}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Niemi, Bruce}} Category:1949 births Category:2025 deaths Category:20th-century members of the Oklahoma House of Representatives Category:Democratic Party members of the Oklahoma House of Representatives Category:Politicians from Tulsa, Oklahoma Category:Tulsa Community College people Category:University of Oklahoma alumni Category:Edison Preparatory School alumni Category:Oklahoma State University alumni Category:Sewanee: The University of the South alumni Category:Educators from Oklahoma