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New Member: Democrat Lisa Blunt Rochester Wins Delaware House Seat

Becomes first woman and African-American to represent state in House

Lisa Blunt Rochester will be the first woman and African-American elected to Congress from Delaware. (Simone Pathe/CQ Roll Call)
Lisa Blunt Rochester will be the first woman and African-American elected to Congress from Delaware. (Simone Pathe/CQ Roll Call)

Democrat Lisa Blunt Rochester will defeat Republican Hans Reigle in Delaware’s at-large congressional district, The Associated Press projects. 

Blunt Rochester led Reigle 56 percent to 40 percent with 66 percent of precincts reporting. 

Blunt Rochester will be the first woman and first African American to represent Delaware in Congress. She will replace Delaware Rep. John Carney, who ran for governor this cycle. 

[Election Results 2016]

Coming into Election Day, the race was rated Safe Democrat by the Rothenberg & Gonzales Political Report/Roll Call. Blunt Rochester won the September primary by a large margin.

Blunt Rochester heads to Congress with an array of state government experience. Secretary of labor, deputy secretary of health and social services and state personnel director were among her roles in Delaware’s executive branch.

[Even in Safe Seats, Candidates Hit the Campaign Trail]

Blunt Rochester comes from a politically active Delaware family and has had their help in her campaign. Support from EMILY’s List and hundreds of thousands of dollars she personally lent her campaign helped her win a six-way primary. 

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