Patty Murray

Patty Murray
Official portrait, 2013
Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2025
Preceded by	Susan Collins
President pro tempore of the United States Senate
In office January 3, 2023 – January 3, 2025
Preceded by	Patrick Leahy
Succeeded by	Chuck Grassley
United States Senator from Washington
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 1993 Serving with Maria Cantwell
Preceded by	Brock Adams
Senate positions President pro tempore emerita of the United States Senate Incumbent Assumed office January 3, 2025 Preceded by Chuck Grassley Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee In office January 3, 2023 – January 3, 2025 Preceded by Patrick Leahy Succeeded by Susan Collins Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee In office February 3, 2021 – January 3, 2023 Preceded by Lamar Alexander Succeeded by Bernie Sanders Chair of the Senate Budget Committee In office January 3, 2013 – January 3, 2015 Preceded by Kent Conrad Succeeded by Mike Enzi Chair of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee In office January 3, 2011 – January 3, 2013 Preceded by Daniel Akaka Succeeded by Bernie Sanders Senate Assistant Democratic Leader In office January 3, 2017 – January 3, 2023 Leader Chuck Schumer Preceded by Position established Succeeded by Position abolished Secretary of the Senate Democratic Caucus In office January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2017 Leader Harry Reid Preceded by Debbie Stabenow Succeeded by Tammy Baldwin Chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee In office January 3, 2011 – January 3, 2013 Leader Harry Reid Preceded by Bob Menendez Succeeded by Michael Bennet In office January 3, 2001 – January 3, 2003 Leader Tom Daschle Preceded by Robert Torricelli Succeeded by Jon Corzine
Member of the Washington State Senate from the 1st district
In office January 9, 1989 – January 3, 1993
Preceded by	Bill Kiskaddon
Succeeded by	Rosemary McAuliffe
Personal details
Born	Patricia Lynn Johns (1950-10-11) October 11, 1950 Bothell, Washington, U.S.
Party	Democratic
Spouse	Rob Murray ​ (m. 1972)​
Children	2
Education	Washington State University (BA)
Signature
Website	Senate website Campaign website

Patricia Lynn Murray (née Johns; born October 11, 1950) is an American politician serving as the senior United States senator from Washington, a seat she has held since 1993. From 2023 to 2025, she held the position of president pro tempore of the United States Senate, becoming the first woman to hold the position. Prior to serving in the U.S. Senate, she served in the Washington State Senate from 1989 to 1993. She is a member of the Democratic Party.

Born and raised in Bothell, Washington, Murray graduated from Washington State University with a degree in physical education. She worked as a preschool teacher and later as a parenting teacher at Shoreline Community College. An advocate for environmental and education issues, Murray was elected to serve on her local school board in King County. One of her early elected political mentors was Donn Charnley.

In 1988, she was elected to the Washington State Senate, defeating two-term incumbent Bill Kiskaddon, and served one term before being elected to the U.S. Senate in 1992. She has been re-elected five times, most recently in 2022.

As a senator, Murray has been in party leadership since 2001, having served as chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Democratic Conference secretary, and assistant Democratic leader. Throughout her tenure, she has chaired the Senate Appropriations Committee, Veterans' Affairs Committee, the Budget Committee, and the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. Murray drew national attention for her work in negotiating the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 with Republican congressman Paul Ryan.

Murray is currently the third-most senior U.S. senator, the most senior Senate Democrat, the longest-serving female senator upon Dianne Feinstein's death in 2023, and the dean of Washington's congressional delegation since 2017 upon Representative Jim McDermott's retirement. She is expected to be the oldest serving female U.S. senator when Jeanne Shaheen retires in 2027.