Deborah Ann Stabenow

Democrat senior Senator of Michigan

Representative
Michigan, district 8
January 7, 1997 - January 3, 1999
Representative
Michigan, district 8
January 6, 1999 - January 3, 2001
Senator
Michigan
January 3, 2001 - January 3, 2007
Senator
Michigan
January 4, 2007 - January 3, 2013
Senator
Michigan
January 3, 2013 - January 3, 2019
Senator
Michigan
January 3, 2019 - January 3, 2025

202-224-4822

@SenStabenow

stabenow.senate.gov

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Congresses Served

House Terms

Senate Terms

January 1, 1950 (74 years old)

Birthday

Served as the senior United States senator from Michigan since 2001.
Became the first female U.S. senator from Michigan after winning the 2000 election.
Previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Michigan’s 8th congressional district from 1997 to 2001.
Held positions on the Ingham County Board of Commissioners and in the Michigan State Legislature before her tenure in Congress.
Reelected to the Senate in 2006, 2012, and 2018.
Became the state’s senior U.S. senator upon Carl Levin’s retirement in 2015.
Chaired the Senate Agriculture Committee from 2011 to 2015 and resumed the chairmanship in 2021.
Became chair of the Senate Democratic Policy Committee in 2017.
Became the dean of the Michigan congressional delegation upon the retirement of Representative Fred Upton.
Announced in January 2023 that she would not seek reelection in 2024.
Born in Gladwin, Michigan, and grew up in Clare, Michigan.
Graduated from Clare High School and received a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Social Work from Michigan State University.
Ran for public office for the first time in 1974, inspired by the threatened closure of a local nursing home.
Became the first woman and youngest person to chair the Ingham County Board of Commissioners in 1977 and 1978.
Served in the Michigan House of Representatives from 1979 to 1990 and in the Michigan Senate from 1991 to 1994.
Ran for Michigan’s Democratic gubernatorial primary in 1994.
Defeated incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Spencer Abraham in the 2000 election.
Has served on various committees, including the Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee and the Special Committee on Aging.
Only the second person from Michigan to have served in both houses of the Michigan State Legislature and both houses of the United States Congress.
Became the third-ranking Democrat in the Senate in 2004 when elected secretary of the Democratic caucus.
Supported Michigan Proposal 1 in 2018 to legalize cannabis for recreational use.
Voted against authorization of the use of military force in Iraq in October 2002.
Secured $100 million to repair and replace water lines in Flint, Michigan.
Has received low scores from free-market groups and high scores from fiscally liberal groups.
Opposed Trump’s executive order temporarily limiting immigration from several Muslim majority countries.
Supported Obama’s Iran deal to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
Has helped open 10 community health centers in Detroit while in office.
Supports gun control and supports a national assault weapons ban.
Voted for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in December 2009.