Lisa Blunt Rochester is no stranger to making history.Alongside fellow members of the 119th Congress – including fellow Delawarean and now-U.S. House Rep. Sarah McBride – Lisa Blunt Rochester was officially sworn in on Jan. 3, becoming the first Black Delawarean and the first woman to represent the First State in the U.S. Senate.
This chapter follows an eight-year run as Delaware’s first woman and first representative of color in Congress, and an unparalleled win last November.
And while she acknowledges the significance behind her assuming this new role, Blunt Rochester said she isn’t doing this to make history – she’s doing it to make the lasting, positive changes Delaware needs.
More:Lisa Blunt Rochester sweeps US Senate race as the first Black Delawarean to do it
Here are some key takeaways from Lisa Blunt Rochester’s coming into the U.S. Senate.
Blunt Rochester described her focus as three P’s: “purpose, peace and the planet.”
She will focus on Delaware and the “pivotal issues of our time,” including the lack of access to affordable housing, clean air and drinking water, she said.
And she will focus on increasing access to mental health care.
Her four committee assignments are Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs; Commerce, Science and Transportation; Environment and Public Works; and Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.
Blunt Rochester said she intends to continue increasing housing affordability and accessibility, as well as “strengthening supply chains” and investing in jobs and economic development.
She plans to continue former U.S. Sen. Tom Carper’s “incredible legacy” in the Environment and Public Works Committee.
An in-depth look:Sen. Tom Carper has been leading for 50 years. Now only his Delaware legacy can out-run him
Blunt Rochester described Carper as someone who not only “gives advice, but also lives it.”
Blunt Rochester and then Congressman Carper first met at a town hall, where she inquired about a possible internship.
As her political career began to flourish, Carper remained a constant in Blunt Rochester’s life, often encouraging her to run for office herself.
In announcing his retirement in 2023, Carper also called for the then-congresswoman to run for Senate. (She previously told Delaware Online/The News Journal that Carper had called her an hour before he was due to make his announcement, saying he wanted her to run for his seat.)
Along with current Sen. Chris Coons, Carper escorted Blunt Rochester into the U.S. Senate chamber as she took her oath of office.
Blunt Rochester said that, while her approach to the job might look different, she will continue to follow Carper’s example and not only fight for her fellow Delawareans but also find lasting, “bipartisan solutions, even when the environment is tough.”
The significance of her position is not lost on Blunt Rochester.
Reflecting on the mantra she would use throughout her campaign – “when Lisa goes to Washington, we all go to Washington” – Blunt Rochester plans to help her First State constituents thrive.
Blunt Rochester also hopes to continue building on her legacy through faith, service and hard work and help lead Delaware in a more equitable and sustainable direction.
In other words, she strives to be “not [the] rubber band that snaps us back, but the slingshot that propels us into a positive future.”
Olivia Montes covers state government and community impact for Delaware Online/The News Journal. If you have a tip or a story idea, reach out to her at omontes@delawareonline.com.
