Suzan DelBene

Suzan DelBene is the U.S. Representative for Washington's 1st congressional district, serving since November 2012. A member of the Democratic Party, she was first elected in a special election to fill the vacancy of Jay Inslee while simultaneously winning a full term in the general election. DelBene earned a Bachelor of Arts in biology from Reed College and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Washington. Her career before public service includes over twenty years as a technology executive and entrepreneur, featuring a tenure as a Vice President at Microsoft and leadership roles at startups such as drugstore.com and Nimble Technology. Prior to her congressional tenure, she served as the Director of the Washington State Department of Revenue, where she focused on administrative reforms and tax simplification for small businesses. In Congress, she has held significant leadership roles, including serving as Chair of the New Democrat Coalition and being appointed Chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) for the 2024 and 2026 election cycles. Her legislative efforts often focus on the intersection of economic growth, technological innovation, and healthcare reform, reflecting the priorities of her district's diverse economy.

Representative DelBene's policy positions emphasize economic innovation and social safety nets. She is a leading advocate for federal data privacy laws and has championed the permanent expansion of the Child Tax Credit to alleviate childhood poverty. In healthcare, she supports the protection and expansion of the Affordable Care Act and is a member of the Pro-Choice Caucus, consistently voting in favor of reproductive rights. Her environmental agenda includes transitioning to a clean energy economy and improving disaster preparedness, as seen in her sponsorship of the National Landslide Preparedness Act. Regarding foreign policy, she supports a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine and has advocated for increased humanitarian assistance in conflict zones. Domestically, she supports comprehensive immigration reform with a pathway to citizenship and favors gun safety measures such as expanded background checks and bans on high-capacity magazines.