About the
Senator
Senator
Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester was born in Philadelphia but was raised in Wilmington, Delaware. Her father, Ted Blunt, was an educator and served on the Wilmington City Council as Council President. It was through his advocacy on the City Council that she first witnessed the power of public service to transform lives and uplift communities.
The Senator’s pathway to public service began humbly, flipping burgers and serving coffee at the McDonald’s in Delaware’s historic Market Street. It was there that she learned the value of an honest day’s work and the importance of a good job.
While she pursued her master’s degree at Delaware State University, she attended a town hall hosted by then-Congressman Tom Carper. With a baby on her hip and another one on the way, she approached Congressman Carper and inquired about an internship in the Congressman’s Wilmington office. It was in this moment her career in public service truly began.
As an intern and then a caseworker for Congressman Carper, Senator Blunt Rochester helped people during challenging times with their Social Security benefits, disability insurance claims, IRS disputes, and housing needs. Her tenure serving Delaware didn’t stop there; she quickly went on to serve in the cabinets of Delaware Governors Tom Carper and Ruth Anne Minner, breaking barriers as she served as Secretary of Labor, Deputy Secretary of Health and Social Services, and State Personnel Director.
After living, traveling and working in over 30 countries, working full time, and raising her children, the Senator never saw herself running for office. It wasn’t until the sudden and unexpected loss of her husband, Charles Rochester, that the Senator decided to turn her devastation and grief into purpose. She knew that she had more to give families who were struggling up and down her state.
She made history in 2016 after being elected as Delaware’s House member at large. This marked the first time Delaware sent a woman or person of color to Congress.
In the House, Senator Blunt Rochester led the charge to lower seniors’ health care costs, and passed legislation to bring American manufacturing jobs home, fix our roads and bridges, and expand internet service to rural Delaware. She took a leading role in creating safer communities and expanding access to clean air and water.
Senator Blunt Rochester has always been focused on making a difference, not making history. This passion for changemaking inspired her to run for Delaware’s open Senate race. In 2024, she was elected to the Senate after serving four terms in the House of Representatives.
Senator Blunt Rochester has continued to be a leading voice in Congress on workforce issues, the future of work, and building an economy that works for everyone. As former Secretary of Labor and State Personnel Director, she leverages her expertise to advocate for policies that support growth and ensure working families earn a living wage. She founded and co-chaired the bipartisan Congressional Future of Work Caucus in the House. After seeing the impact of empty grocery shelves during the pandemic, she also led the charge in Congress to address the supply chain crisis and bring manufacturing jobs back to Delaware and the United States.
Senator Blunt Rochester is the proud mother of Alyssa and Alex, both of whom graduated from Delaware’s public schools.
Senator Blunt Rochester sits on four committees: Commerce, Science, and Transportation; Environment and Public Works (EPW); Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP); and Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs.
