Patty Murray

A proven leader and trailblazer

Sen. Patty Murray first got involved in politics to fight back against politicians who were trying to cut a preschool program that her kids counted on. When she was told she couldn’t make a difference because she was “just a mom in tennis shoes,” she realized that if she wanted change, she was going to have to lace up those tennis shoes and fight back. She decided to run for the school board and then the state legislature to make a difference from the inside on policies impacting families like hers. In 1992, Sen. Murray became the first woman elected to represent Washington State in the U.S. Senate after her election during the historic Year of the Woman, and has continued to be a trailblazing force ever since — becoming the first woman to chair the Senate Budget Committee, the first woman to chair the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, and now serving as the chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee.

A fierce champion for women and families

Since the moment she was elected, Sen. Murray has used every tool at her disposal to help people, solve problems, lift up the stories and concerns of families in Washington State, and offer a clear and loud voice for progressive change. She is one of the most influential and forceful advocates in the Senate for policies that benefit women and families. She has used her role as a leader on the Committee to put a spotlight on women’s health and economic issues, fight to protect and expand access to reproductive health care, and advocate for necessary reforms, including equal pay protections, paid family leave, and increasing the minimum wage. She has also worked across the aisle to finally fix the broken No Child Left Behind law, make significant investments to address the maternal mortality crisis, and secure the largest ever increase in child care funding.

Victory in must-win reelection fight

EMILY’s List has been a strong supporter of Sen. Murray since her first election to the U.S. Senate in 1992, and we were proud to have presented her with the 2018 We Are EMILY Award. The EMILY’s List community showed our strong early support for Sen. Murray and stood with her every step of the way to victory to ensure that this pro-choice champion continues her tireless work in the United States Senate, building on her outstanding record as a fierce advocate for working families and leading our country forward.