Patricia Lynn Murray is an American politician and president pro tempore of the United States Senate since 2023 and the senior United States Senator from Washington since 1993. A member of the Democratic Party,Murray served in the Washington State Senate from 1989 to 1993. She was Washington's first female U.S. senator and is the first woman in American history to hold the position of president pro tempore. Murray is also the youngest senator to occupy the office of president pro tempore in more than five decades. As president pro tempore,Murray is third in the line of succession to the U.S. presidency.
Maria Ellen Cantwell is an American politician and former businesswoman serving as the junior United States senator from Washington since 2001. A member of the Democratic Party,she served in the Washington House of Representatives from 1987 to 1993,and in the United States House of Representatives from Washington's 1st congressional district from 1993 to 1995.
Heather Ann Wilson is the 11th President of the University of Texas at El Paso. She previously served as the 24th Secretary of the United States Air Force from 2017 through 2019. Wilson was the 12th president of the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology in Rapid City from 2013 to 2017,and she was the first female military veteran elected to a full term in Congress. She was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives for New Mexico's 1st congressional district from 1998 to 2009.
Mazie Keiko Hirono is an American lawyer and politician serving since 2013 as the junior United States senator from Hawaii. A member of the Democratic Party,Hirono previously served as a member of the United States House of Representatives for Hawaii's 2nd congressional district from 2007 to 2013. Hirono also served as a member of the Hawaii House of Representatives from 1981 to 1995 and as Hawaii's tenth lieutenant governor from 1994 to 2002,under Ben Cayetano. She was the Democratic nominee for governor of Hawaii in 2002,but lost to Republican Linda Lingle.
Cathy Anne McMorris Rodgers is an American politician who is the United States representative for Washington's 5th congressional district,which encompasses the eastern third of the state and includes Spokane,the state's second-largest city. A Republican,McMorris Rodgers previously served in the Washington House of Representatives. From 2013 to 2019,she chaired the House Republican Conference.
Christine Gregoire is an American politician who served as the 22nd governor of Washington from 2005 to 2013. A member of the Democratic Party,she defeated Republican candidate Dino Rossi in 2004,and again in 2008. She is the second female governor of Washington. Gregoire chaired the National Governors Association for the 2010–2011 term. She also served on the Governors' Council of the Bipartisan Policy Center in Washington,D.C.
Lisa Jo Brown is an American politician and educator who is the current mayor of Spokane,Washington. She previously served as the director of the Washington State Department of Commerce. A member of the Democratic Party,Brown has served in both houses of the Washington State Legislature,including eight years as the first Democratic female majority leader of the Washington State Senate. She has also served as the chancellor of Washington State University Spokane,a position she stepped down from in order to mount an unsuccessful campaign for the U.S. House.
Elizabeth Bye is an American politician from Connecticut. A Democrat,she is the commissioner of the state's Office of Early Childhood. She served as a member of the Connecticut State Senate from 2011 to 2019,representing the 5th district,which includes part of Bloomfield,most of Farmington,all of Burlington and all of West Hartford. Bye also served two terms in the Connecticut House of Representatives from 2007 to 2011.
Nancy J. King is an American politician who is a member of the Maryland Senate from the 39th district since 2007. A member of the Democratic Party,she has served as the majority leader of the Maryland Senate since 2020. King previously represented the district in the Maryland House of Delegates from 2003 to 2007.
Jaime Lynn Herrera Beutler is an American politician who served as the U.S. representative for Washington's 3rd congressional district from 2011 to 2023. The district is in southwestern Washington,lying across the Columbia River from Oregon's Portland metropolitan area. A Republican,Herrera Beutler previously served in the Washington House of Representatives. In 2010,she was elected to Congress,and went on to be re-elected five times.
Nancy Skinner is an American politician who is member of the California State Senate. A Democrat,she represents California's 9th State Senatorial district,encompassing parts of the East Bay.
Denise Juneau is an American attorney,educator,and politician from the U.S. state of Montana who served as the state's Superintendent of Public Instruction from 2009 to 2017. She is a Democrat and the first female Native American elected to statewide office in the United States. Her mother is Mandan,Hidatsa,and Arikara,while her father is Blackfoot.
Bonita Lynne Cullison is an American teacher,labor official,and politician who has served as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates in District 19 since 2011.
The state of Washington is seen as one of the most progressive states in the U.S. in regard to lesbian,gay,bisexual,transgender and queer (LGBTQ) rights;with jurisprudence having evolved significantly since the late 20th century. Same-sex sexual activity was legalized in 1976. LGBTQ people are fully protected from discrimination in the areas of employment,housing and public accommodations;the state enacting comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation regarding sexual orientation and gender identity in 2006. Same-sex marriage has been legal since 2012,and same-sex couples are allowed to adopt. Conversion therapy on minors has also been illegal since 2018.
Gael Frances Donelan Tarleton is an American politician who served as a member of the Washington House of Representatives for the 36th Legislative District from 2013 to 2021. Tarleton was a candidate for Secretary of State of Washington in 2020,losing to incumbent Republican Kim Wyman.
Christine Elizabeth Smith is an American politician,retired Democratic political consultant,and former businesswoman serving as the junior United States senator from Minnesota since 2018. She is a member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL),an affiliate of the Democratic Party.
Pramila Jayapal is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative from Washington's 7th congressional district since 2017. A member of the Democratic Party,she represents most of Seattle,as well as some suburban areas of King County. Jayapal represented the 37th legislative district in the Washington State Senate from 2015 to 2017. She is the first Indian-American woman to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives. The district's first female member of Congress,she is also the first Asian American to represent Washington at the federal level.
Emily Elissa Randall is an American politician and activist who is a member of the Washington State Senate from the 26th district. A member of the Democratic Party,she was elected in 2018. She is currently running to represent Washington's 6th congressional district as incumbent Derek Kilmer announced his retirement from congress. She is the Democratic nominee for the 2024 United States House race to represent Washington's 6th congressional district.
General elections were held in the U.S. state of Washington on November 3,2020. A primary was held on August 4. This election cycle is notable as it was only the second in state history in which Democrats won the top three statewide elections by double digits. The first was the 1936 election,in the middle of the Great Depression.
Karen Ruth Hurd is an American nutritionist,writer,and Republican politician from Eau Claire County,Wisconsin. She is a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly,representing Wisconsin's 68th Assembly district since January 2023. She is also currently a member of the village board of Fall Creek,Wisconsin.
