Patricia Lynn Murray (nee Johns) is an American politician who has served as the senior Senator for Washington state since 1992. She previously served in the Washington State Senate and was the state’s first female U.S. senator. She is registered as a Democrat.  She is currently in the running to be reelected to her position as her current term ends in 2023. 

Born on October 11, 1950 in Bothell, Washington she lived in the city all her life. Her family lived on welfare assistance for a while when she was a teenager because her father, a Word War II veteran and Purple Heart recipient, became disabled because of multiple sclerosis. Murray attended Washington State University, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in physical education. She went on to work at the Shoreline Community College from 1984-1987. 

Her career as a politician began when she first campaigned in 1985 to become a part of the Shoreline School District’s board of directors, one that she won. In 1989, she campaigned for the Washington State Senate, eventually defeating Republican Senator Bill Kiskaddon, who had served two terms. In 1992 she ran for the U.S. Senate and won, garnering nearly 54% of the votes. 

Since her victory in 1992, Murray has gone on to win every single reelection battle, although in most cases she has won by narrow margins. For her 2022 bid, she will be going up against Republican Tiffany Smiley who is known veteran affairs advocate and a nurse.

In the past Murray has made clear that she was against the invasion of Iraq. Similarly, she is a pro-abortion senator, and had voted against the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act which would have made having an abortion illegal after 20 weeks of pregnancy. 

The U.S. primaries for Arizona, Michigan, Ohio, Kansas, Missouri, and Washington are set to be held on August 2, 2022. The mid-term elections are slated for November 8, 2022.