REPLACING:

Tom Carper (D)

WORK HISTORY:

U.S. House of Representatives (Member, DE-at-large); Joe Biden for President 2020 (Campaign Co-Chair, Vice Presidential Vetting Committee Member); University of Massachusetts (Senior Fellow); Metropolitan Wilmington Urban League (CEO); Delaware Office of Management and Budget (Personnel Director); Delaware Department of Labor (Secretary); Delaware Department of Health and Social Services (Deputy Secretary); U.S. Rep. Tom Carper (Intern, Constituent Relations Caseworker) [i]

EDUCATION:

Diploma, Padua Academy; BA, Farleigh Dickinson University; MA, the University of Delaware [ii]

CAMPAIGNED ON:

Agriculture; Bipartisanship and Working Together; Climate; Democracy & Voting Rights; Economy; Education; Gun Violence Prevention; Health Care; Immigration; Innovation and Emerging Technology; LGBTQIA+ Rights; Public Safety & Justice Reform; Reproductive Freedom; Veterans [iii]

ON THE ISSUES

REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS:

Blunt Rochester is endorsed by Reproductive Freedom for All, Planned Parenthood, and EMILY’s List. She describes herself as a “proud pro-choice champion” who will “always fight to protect our sacred reproductive freedoms. In the last Congress, she voted for the Women’s Health Protection Act and the Ensuring Women’s Right to Reproductive Freedom Act. [iv] [v]

IMMIGRATION & BORDER SECURITY:

In May 2023, Blunt Rochester voted along with the Democratic House minority against the Secure the Border Act, which would restart border wall construction, restrict asylum, and more. [vi] [vii] Her campaign platform advocates for “comprehensive, bipartisan immigration reform that prioritizes reasonable pathways to citizenship while ensuring that we secure our borders in a safe and humane way.” [viii] She has an “F-“ rating from NumbersUSA, an anti-immigration advocacy group. [ix]

ECONOMY & JOBS:

On her campaign website, Blunt Rochester advocates for “building an economy that works for everyone, focused on building the middle class from the bottom up and the middle out.” [x] In 2021, she voted for the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. [xi] In an October 2024 interview, she said “we want to make sure that there’s no price gouging that touches groceries.” [xii] She is a co-creator of the Future of Work Caucus, which promotes policies that “prepare our workforce for the jobs of the future.” [xiii]

TAXES:

In an October 2024 interview, Blunt Rochester advocated for a “fair tax system” focused on families, including measures like the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit. [xiv] She voted against the Trump administration’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in 2017, deriding the bill for adding to the deficit and “gutting valuable middle-class tax deductions” like the mortgage interest deduction, the medical expense deduction, and the student loan interest deduction. [xv]

CRIME & PUBLIC SAFETY:

In the last four Congresses, Blunt Rochester has introduced the Clean Slate Act, including most recently alongside Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC). That bill would automate the expungement and record sealing of low-level nonviolent offenses, among other provisions. [xvi] Her campaign platform argues that “Everyone has a right to feel safe in their communities, and law enforcement should have the tools and resources to respond to crime in a timely and effective manner.” [xvii] When asked about the “defund the police” movement in June 2020, she said, “We’re keeping our eyes on the prize, and that needs to be the story. State and local will do what state and local needs to do.” [xviii] She voted several times to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. [xix] [xx]

CLIMATE CHANGE, ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT:

While serving in the House, Blunt Rochester voted for the Inflation Reduction Act. [xxi] Her campaign platform states that she supports investments in renewable energy, green job creation and training, and promoting clean air and water protections. It also notes that Delaware has the lowest mean elevation in the country, “meaning many Delaware businesses and residents are already experiencing the effects of sea level rise.” [xxii]

FOREIGN POLICY:

Blunt Rochester has supported military aid to Ukraine and Israel, including voting for a recent April 2024 appropriations package that passed the House. [xxiii] Notably, in March, she was the first member of Delaware’s congressional delegation to call for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas. [xxiv] (She has previously cosponsored legislation that would restrict military aid to Israel. [xxv]) According to the Washington Post, Blunt Rochester’s congressional district has benefited from Ukraine aid funds, chiefly for its manufacturing of the antipersonnel M18A1 claymore. [xxvi] In March 2024, she voted for the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, expressing concerns about the Chinese government’s ability to compel TikTok to turn over its data on American users. [xxvii]

HEALTHCARE & SOCIAL SAFETY NET:

Blunt Rochester’s campaign website states that she ran for Congress to protect healthcare access. She pledges to fight any effort to privatize Medicare and Medicaid and touts her work to fund rural hospitals and health care facilities in Delaware. In the House, she voted for the Inflation Reduction Act, which capped the price of insulin at $35 per month for Medicare recipients. [xxviii] During the Trump administration, she voted against the American Health Care Act of 2017, the Republican plan to “repeal and replace” the Affordable Care Act. [xxix]

DEMOCRACY:

Blunt Rochester supports ending partisan gerrymandering, “stopping the influence” of money in politics, and enshrining federal voting rights protections. [xxx]

SOCIAL ISSUES:

Blunt Rochester’s campaign website describes her as a “fierce advocate” for LGBTQIA+ rights and equality. She was an original cosponsor of the Equality Act, which would prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity and sexual orientation, and pledges to “enshrine protections into federal law.” [xxxi]