Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester announced Wednesday she is running for the Senate seat in Delaware being vacated by Sen. Tom Carper, a Democrat who decided not to run again.
Ms. Blunt Rochester, a Democrat, enters the race in a strong position, with four House terms under her belt and support from Mr. Carper.
“It’s been the greatest honor of my life to represent Delaware, to protect our seniors, our environment, our small businesses and women’s reproductive rights. But we’ve got so much more to do,” Ms. Blunt Rochester says in a launch video posted online.
If elected, Ms. Blunt Rochester would be the first Black senator from Delaware.
Her launch video recounts challenges she faced in her life, including the sudden loss of her husband, Charles, from an Achilles tendon injury that resulted in blood clots.
“I decided to run for Congress. That’s the thing about bright hope, it can make you do crazy things,” she said.
Ms. Blunt Rochester started her political career as an intern for Mr. Carper, who will depart at the start of 2025, and she is national co-chair of the 2024 reelection campaign for President Biden, who is also from Delaware.
In her video, the congresswoman recounts the intense emotions she felt as a mob attacked the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
“People ask me if January 6 was my worst day. It was,” Ms. Blunt Rochester says. “But it was also one of my proudest moments. Because we walked back in that House chamber and we completed our work. The forces of fear did not win and democracy prevailed.”
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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