Lisa Blunt Rochester facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lisa Blunt Rochester
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Official portrait, 2025
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| United States Senator from Delaware |
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| Assumed office January 3, 2025 Serving with Chris Coons
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| Preceded by | Tom Carper |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Delaware's at-large district |
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| In office January 3, 2017 – January 3, 2025 |
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| Preceded by | John Carney |
| Succeeded by | Sarah McBride |
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Lisa LaTrelle Blunt
February 10, 1962 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
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| Children | 2 |
| Relatives | Ted Blunt (father) |
| Education | Villanova University Fairleigh Dickinson University (BA) University of Delaware (MA) |
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| Website | |
Lisa Blunt Rochester (born February 10, 1962) is an American politician. She is currently a U.S. Senator for Delaware, a role she started in January 2025. Before that, she was a U.S. Representative for Delaware from 2017 to 2025.
She is a member of the Democratic Party. Lisa Blunt Rochester made history as the first woman and first African American to represent Delaware in both parts of Congress.
Her political career began by working for Tom Carper, who was a U.S. Representative and later the governor of Delaware. She held important roles in state government departments. In 2016, she was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. She also helped lead Joe Biden's campaign during the 2020 United States presidential election.
In 2023, Blunt Rochester announced she would run for the U.S. Senate. She won the election in 2024 by a large margin. She took office as Senator in January 2025.
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Early Life and Education
Lisa Blunt Rochester was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on February 10, 1962. Her family moved to Wilmington, Delaware, in 1969. Her father, Ted Blunt, was an educator and served on the Wilmington City Council. Her mother, Alice LaTrelle, worked in retail.
Blunt Rochester went to Padua Academy for high school. She started college at Villanova University and later transferred to the University of Delaware. She earned her bachelor's degree in international relations from Fairleigh Dickinson University. She also has a master's degree in urban affairs and public policy from the University of Delaware.
Early Political Career
Lisa Blunt Rochester started working for Tom Carper as an intern in 1989. At that time, Carper was a U.S. Representative for Delaware. After her internship, she continued to work for him. She helped people in his district with their issues.
When Carper became governor of Delaware, she joined his team. He appointed her as deputy secretary of Health and Social Services in 1993. In 1998, she became the secretary of the Department of Labor. Later, Governor Ruth Ann Minner named her the state personnel director in 2001.
In 2004, Blunt Rochester left government work. She became the CEO of the Metropolitan Wilmington Urban League. This organization works to help people in urban areas.
U.S. House of Representatives
Becoming a Representative
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Lisa Blunt Rochester ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in 2016. She won the Democratic Party nomination. In the general election, she defeated the Republican candidate.
When she took office on January 3, 2017, she made history. She became the first woman and the first African-American to represent Delaware in Congress. During her swearing-in, she carried a scarf with a copy of her great-great-great-grandfather's voter registration card. He had been a slave.
Key Actions in the House
In December 2019, Blunt Rochester voted to formally accuse President Donald Trump of wrongdoing. This process is called impeachment.
During the events at the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol, she was taken to a safe room with other members of Congress. She offered masks to some colleagues who were not wearing them. Later, some members tested positive for COVID-19.
She voted to impeach Trump a second time in January 2021. As of 2022, she voted with President Joe Biden's positions almost all the time.
Blunt Rochester's voting record on Israel has varied. She voted for aid to Israel after an attack in 2023. She voted against further aid in late 2023 and early 2024, but then voted for aid in April 2024. In September 2024, she voted against a bill related to boycotts against Israel.
Role in the 2020 Presidential Election
Lisa Blunt Rochester was very involved in the 2020 United States presidential election. After Joe Biden became the likely Democratic candidate, his campaign named her as one of its co-chairs. She also helped choose Biden's running mate for Vice President. She was a speaker at the 2020 Democratic National Convention.
House Committee Roles
During her time in the House, Lisa Blunt Rochester served on the United States House Committee on Energy and Commerce. This committee deals with many important topics. These include energy, climate, health, and business.
House Group Memberships
She was part of several important groups in the House, called caucuses.
- Black Maternal Health Caucus
- Congressional Black Caucus
- Congressional Progressive Caucus
- Future of Work Caucus (she helped start this group)
- New Democrat Coalition
- Rare Disease Caucus
- Congressional Coalition on Adoption
U.S. Senate
Senate Election 2024
On June 21, 2023, Lisa Blunt Rochester announced she would run for the United States Senate. She aimed to take the place of Senator Tom Carper, who was retiring. Senator Carper supported her in the race.
She was expected to win both the Democratic primary and the general election easily. Blunt Rochester won the election with 57% of the votes. She defeated Republican Eric Hansen. She became a U.S. Senator in January 2025.
Senate Committee Roles
As a U.S. Senator, Lisa Blunt Rochester serves on several important committees:
- United States Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs: This committee handles banking, housing, and community development.
- United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: This committee deals with trade, science, and transportation.
- United States Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works: This committee focuses on the environment and public projects like roads and bridges.
- United States Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions: This committee covers health, education, and workers' rights. She is a top member (Ranking Member) on the Subcommittee on Education and the American Family.
Personal Life
Lisa Blunt Rochester was married to professional basketball player Alex Bradley from 1982 to 2003. They lived in Europe while he played basketball. They have two children together. Their marriage ended in 2003.
She later married Charles Rochester in 2006. Charles passed away in 2014 due to health complications.
Blunt Rochester is a Protestant. She also co-authored a book called Thrive: 34 Women, 18 Countries, One Goal.
Images for kids
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Lisa Blunt Rochester's signature.
See also
In Spanish: Lisa Blunt Rochester para niños
- List of African-American United States representatives
- Women in the United States House of Representatives
- List of African-American United States senators
- Women in the United States Senate
