Patty Murray
Patty Murray is a prominent Democratic U.S. Senator representing Washington since 1992, making history as the first woman to hold this position in the state. Born on October 11, 1950, in Bothell, Washington, Murray's early life was marked by the challenges her family faced, including her father's disability, which influenced her advocacy for government-funded social programs. She became active in politics through grassroots efforts, particularly in education, after encountering cuts to parent-child education funding in the early 1980s.
Murray's political career gained momentum when she was elected to the Washington state legislature, and she successfully ran for the U.S. Senate during the landmark "Year of the Woman" in 1992. Known for her focus on family welfare, education, and women's rights, she has served on various Senate committees and chaired key subcommittees. Over the years, Murray has been repeatedly reelected, most recently in 2022, and in 2023, she made history again by becoming the first female president pro tempore of the Senate. Her career reflects a commitment to advocacy for women, families, and social spending initiatives.
Patty Murray
Democrat Patty Murray has represented Washington in the US Senate since 1992, the year an unprecedented number of women gained national office. She is the first woman to serve as a senator from the state of Washington.
Childhood and Education
Patty Johns was born on October 11, 1950, in Bothell, Washington, near Seattle. She was one of seven children born to Dave Johns, a dime store manager and military veteran, and his homemaker wife, Bev. When Patty was in high school, her father was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and became disabled. The family received welfare benefits while her mother took a government-subsidized training course in bookkeeping. Today, Senator Murray attributes her strong support of government-funded social spending to this turn of events.
After graduating from the Bothell public schools, Patty attended Washington State University. There she led a protest against a campus rule obligating female students to wear skirts at dinner. In 1972, she received her Bachelor of Arts degree and certification in parent education and wed Rob Murray, a future computer consultant. The Murrays have two grown children, Randy and Sara.
Early Political Career
Between 1977 and 1984, Murray volunteered as a preschool teacher in Shoreline, 15 miles outside Seattle. In 1980, she had a "galvanizing" experience when the state legislature reduced parent-child education funding, and she drove to Olympia to lobby against the cuts. One politician dismissed her as "just a mom in tennis shoes" who could not make any difference. The outraged Murray then launched a successful grassroots initiative against the cuts.
During the 1980s, Murray expanded her community involvement further. At Shoreline Community College-Crystal Springs, she taught parent education classes. She returned to the state legislature as a citizen lobbyist for education and environmental issues. The decade also marked her first foray into electoral politics.
In 1985, Murray won a seat on the Shoreline School District's board of directors. She served there until 1989 and was elected board president twice. After acting as the school district's representative in the Washington legislature, she decided to seek state legislative office herself.
From 1988 to 1992, Murray represented Washington's First District as a Democratic state senator. In 1990, she was named Washington State Legislator of the Year. From 1990 to 1992, she was the Democratic Whip. During these years, Murray worked on three committees (Education, Ways & Means, Commerce, and Labor) and two select committees (Domestic Timber Processing, Open Government). She also chaired the School Transportation Safety Task Force.
The Year of the Woman
In 1992, Murray sought the US Senate seat vacated by Brock Adams, who had been accused of sexual misconduct. By a margin of 8 percent, Murray defeated Representative Rod Chandler, her Republican opponent. During the campaign, she often declared that "a mom in tennis shoes" was exactly what a Senate full of "blue suits" needed. Some observers expressed dislike for her gimmicky slogan, but others credited Murray's success to her ability to turn an insult around and use it to her advantage.
Some political experts enthusiastically dubbed 1992 "The Year of the Woman." Bill Clinton, the candidate endorsed by groups such as the National Organization for Women (NOW), had become president. An unprecedented 22 female candidates had been elected to Congress. All five new women Senators, including Murray, held an abortion-rights position and advocated federal government social spending. Besides alleging that Clinton showed disrespect for women in his personal conduct, other observers protested that NOW-style feminists only supported and celebrated female candidates who shared their agenda, especially their defense of abortion.
First US Senate Term
During her first US Senate term, Murray emphasized family health and welfare, education, environment, women's rights, and abortion-rights advocacy. With Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Carol Moseley-Braun (D-IL), Murray insisted upon public hearings into the sexual harassment charges against Senator Bob Packwood, a liberal Republican from Oregon. Murray also spearheaded an effort to permit abortions at military facilities.
In 1996, the National Journal rated Murray as the most liberal US Senator, but many political analysts described her 1998 re-election prospects as shaky. They cited national trends toward conservatism and the waning novelty of female politicians. They cautioned that she was widely perceived as an extremist on abortion issues and that she could no longer credibly present herself to voters as a "Washington outsider."
Political Agenda
In the 1998 Senate race, Murray defeated Republican Representative Linda Smith with 58 percent of the vote. Murray served on a range of Senate committees including Veteran's Affairs, where she was the first woman member. She also chaired the Transportation Subcommittee of Appropriations. She was instrumental in winning a large government contract for Boeing, the aircraft company that was an important part of her home state's economy. Murray was a delegate to the 2000 Democratic National Convention and, from 2001 to 2003, was the first woman chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.
In early 2003, as the Senate debated a ban on the late-term procedure known as dilation and extraction, also known as "partial-birth abortion," Murray teamed with Nevada's Harry Reid, Democratic whip and longtime abortion opponent. They proposed the Murray Amendment, which sought to reduce abortion rates by expanding access to birth control and prenatal care coverage. It did not pass.
Murray was reelected to the Senate in 2004. She served on the Committee on Appropriations and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. She served as chairwoman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development during the 111th Congress. Murray was reelected in November 2010, defeating Republican Party challenger Dino Rossi.
In 2016, Murray won reelection, defeating Republican challenger Chris Vance. In 2022, Murray defeated Republican Tiffany Smiley to win reelection to her sixth term in the Senate. When the 118th US Congress was sworn in in January 2023, Murray made history when she was named the first female president pro tempore in the Senate. The president pro tempore is the most powerful senator in the chamber and is second only to the sitting vice president in the Senate hierarchy.
Bibliography
"Biography." Senator Patty Murray, 2024, www.murray.senate.gov/biography/. Accessed 17 Oct. 2024.
"Issues." Senator Patty Murray, 2024, www.murray.senate.gov/issues/. Accessed 17 Oct. 2024.
Jalonick, Mary Clare. “Murray Becomes First Female President Pro Tempore in Senate." Associated Press, 3 Jan. 2023, apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-patty-murray-senate-5ffe1b8e2c049a8f37ac0afbcc2af665. Accessed 17 Oct. 2024.