She certainly can make a difference


When Patty Murray was an education advocate in her home state of Washington, a state politician once told her that she "couldn't make a difference" because she was just a "mom in tennis shoes." Boy was he wrong.

Patty Murray went on to lead a grassroots effort to success on her key issue – saving a local preschool program from budget cuts.

But she didn't stop there. Murray, a former teacher and PTA member, decided to run for the local school board. She won, and then when she ran for the Washington State Senate, she won again. Then, in 1992, she ran for the U.S. Senate. And guess what? She won again.

That year Patty Murray became the first woman to represent Washington in the U.S. Senate. Fifteen years later, she is the state's senior Senator and one of the most respected senators by her peers.

Sen. Murray has made health care, education, security, women's rights, and economic development her top priorities. She has sponsored bills to hire more qualified teachers and increase the number of nurses in the U.S. She has also worked to tighten port security, improve veterans' care, and protect women's reproductive rights. The Seattle Post-Intelligencer called Sen. Murray "a workhorse, not a show horse," in recognition of her determined behind-the-scenes efforts in the Senate.

Sen. Murray is an ideal example of the potential of intelligent, ambitious women in public life. She didn't grow up dreaming of a life in politics. But once she realized that public office offered her great opportunities to create positive change, she became an unstoppable political force – all the way up to the U.S. Senate.

You can learn more about Sen. Murray's background and accomplishments at her official Senate website.