Stabenow << STAB uh now >>, Deborah Ann (1950-…), a Democrat, has represented Michigan in the United States Senate since 2001. Prior to being elected senator, Stabenow served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Stabenow was born in Gladwin, Michigan, on April 29, 1950. At Michigan State University, she earned a bachelor’s degree in 1972 and a master’s degree in social work in 1975.
In 1974, when she was in her mid-20’s, Stabenow was elected to the Ingham County Board of Commissioners. She served as the first woman chair on that commission in 1977 and 1978.
Stabenow was a Michigan state representative from 1979 to 1990 and a Michigan state senator from 1991 to 1994. As a state congresswoman, she negotiated tougher drunken driving laws and helped enforce child support collections. In 1994, she gave up her state Senate seat to run for governor but lost in the Democratic primary election. She was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1996.
Stabenow served in the House from 1997 to 2001. As a representative, she worked to bring technology to students and teachers. She helped pass legislation that provided tax cuts for companies that donated computer equipment to schools. She also fought for tax relief for older Americans. Stabenow served on the House Agriculture and Science committees.
In November 2000, Stabenow narrowly defeated Republican Senator Spencer Abraham to become Michigan’s first woman senator. She was reelected in 2006, 2012, and 2018. As a senator, she has served as chairwoman of the Agriculture Committee and as a member of the Energy, Finance, and Budget committees. In 2023, Stabenow announced that she planned to retire from the Senate when her term ends in January 2025.
