Lisa Blunt Rochester
DemocratU.S. Senator, DE| Age | 64 (b. 1962-02-10) |
| Gender | Female |
| In office since | 2017-01-03 (~9 yrs) |
| Race / ethnicity | African American |
| Religion | Protestant (Baptist tradition; family worshipped at Bright Hope Baptist Church) |
| Education | Padua Academy (1980); B.A. International Relations, Fairleigh Dickinson University (1985); M.A. Urban Affairs and Public Policy, University of Delaware (2003) |
| Prior occupation | Nonprofit executive (CEO, Metropolitan Wilmington Urban League, 2004-2016); Delaware state government official (State Personnel Director; Secretary of Labor; Deputy Secretary of Health and Social Services); congressional caseworker |
| Military service | No |
| Birthplace | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Marital status | Widowed — Charles Rochester (m. 2006, d. 2014); previously Alex Bradley (m. 1982, div. 2003) |
| Children | 2 |
| Residence | Wilmington, Delaware |
| Notable relatives | Father Ted (Theodore) Blunt (1943-2024), Wilmington City Council member and council president |
Pending research: languages · openly lgbtq.
Career & politics
| First elected | 2016 |
| Previous offices | U.S. Representative for Delaware's at-large congressional district (2017-2025) · Delaware State Personnel Director (2001-2003) · Delaware Secretary of Labor (1998-2001) · Delaware Deputy Secretary of Health and Social Services (1993-1998) |
| Committees | Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs · Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation · Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works · Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions |
| Caucuses | Congressional Black Caucus · Congressional Progressive Caucus · New Democrat Coalition · Black Maternal Health Caucus · Rare Disease Caucus · Future of Work Caucus (founder/co-chair) |
| Leadership | Co-chair, Joe Biden 2020 presidential campaign · First woman and first African American to represent Delaware in both chambers of Congress |
| Ideology | Voted in line with President Biden's position 100% of the time per FiveThirtyEight (2022); member of both Progressive Caucus and New Democrat Coalition |
| Signature legislation | Housing Supply Frameworks Act (included in ROAD to Housing Act, passed Senate Oct 2025) · Accelerating Home Building Act (included in ROAD to Housing Act) · Community Investment and Prosperity Act (included in ROAD to Housing Act) · Streamlining American Manufacturing Strategy Act (passed Senate Oct 2025) |
Financial
Net worth: disclosed + (2018) · estimate
| SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) | fund · –$3,000,000 |
| iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (AGG) | fund · –$5,000,000 |
| iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF | fund · –$766,001 |
Top donors: Young, Conaway, Stargatt & Taylor (law firm) ($22,100 (2024 cycle, Victory Fund); $166,448 career)
Top industries: Lawyers/Law Firms
Scandals & crimes ledger
No recorded incidents. Under the adjudicated-only methodology, an entry appears only when a court or official body has formally acted and the record is cited.