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How rich is the first female Washington senator: Patty Murray’s net worth revealed

How rich is the first female Washington senator: Patty Murray’s net worth revealed
Nemanja Curcic

Patty Murray is an American politician and a high-ranking member of the Democratic Party who has served as the senior U.S. Senator from Washington since 1993. Known as “the mom in tennis shoes,” she has attracted grassroots support for various issues. She is third in the line of presidential succession. Today, we will uncover Patty Murray’s net worth and her known sources of income. 

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How rich is Patty Murray?

Patty Murray holds a B.A. in physical education from Washington State University. She worked as a preschool teacher for several years and held a parenting class at Shoreline Community College between 1984 and 1987.

While politically unaligned, she advocated for environmental and educational issues. Murray has stated that a state representative told her she could not help with the issues since she was just a “mom in tennis shoes.” Murray proceeded to adopt the phrase and successfully used it to launch her political career.

Parry Murray served on Shoreline School District’s board of directors from 1985 to 1989, Washington State Senate from 1989 to 1993, and the U.S. Senate from 1993 until today. In 2023, she was also elected Senate president pro tempore, making her the second-highest-ranking member of the Senate.

What is Patty Murray’s net worth?

OpenSecrets’s 2018 analysis showed Patty Murray’s net worth at almost $1.69 million. An accurate estimate of her wealth today remains unavailable. However, her 2023 official financial disclosure form reveals a net worth valued between $1.53 million and $3.89 million.

Disclaimer: Estimating a lawmaker’s net worth is challenging because disclosure forms do not mandate exact values. Instead, lawmakers report the value of their assets and liabilities within specified ranges. While we strive to accurately estimate net worth from filings, disclosure rules have shortcomings. Personal residences, certain personal property, and federal retirement accounts are often not reported. Large assets can be listed in broad categories like “Over $1 million” or “Over $50 million,” potentially worth much more. Additionally, most Members of Congress earn $174,000 annually, but this isn’t required to be disclosed.

How did Patty Murray make her money?

Patty Murray’s net worth has come from the following jobs and sources:

  • Politics: Patty Murray first entered politics in 1985 and managed to rise to the rank of senator, which currently comes with an annual salary of $174,000. However, since she was elected Senate president pro tempore in 2023, she now receives $193,400 per year;
  • Preschool teaching and parenting classes: Before entering politics, Patty Murray had spent several years as a preschool teacher and parenting lecturer;
  • Various investments: Murray’s publicly disclosed financial disclosure forms reveal several investments in mutual funds, savings accounts, and retirement plans, the most significant one being Fidelity Balanced (FBALX), valued between $500,000 and $1 million. These sporadic investing endeavors have significantly reinforced her net worth;
  • Mortgage: Patty Murray’s only publicly known liability is a mortgage valued between $100,001 and $250,000

Insider trading involvement

Patty Murray has strongly opposed any potential insider trading by the elected U.S. officials. In 2017, Politico confirmed Donald Trump’s nominee for Health and Human Services secretary obtained stock in a biotech firm while sitting on committees overseeing the biotechnology industry. Murray proceeded to denounce Price for his conflict of interest. 

Furthermore, Murray has publicly supported the Congress proposal to ban insider trading among lawmakers:

As per the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act, Patty Murray’s assets are tightly monitored to prevent using insider information for one’s own gains, which notably includes insider trading.

Who is Patty Murray?

Patty Murray was born on October 11, 1950, in Bothell, Washington. Her early life was defined by personal challenges, including caring for her disabled, war-decorated father and living on welfare assistance.

After earning a degree in physical education from Washington State University in 1972, she started her career as a teacher. In fact, her political career began at the grassroots level while serving on the Shoreline School Board. 

Murray came to prominence as “the mom in tennis shoes,” which is reportedly how a state representative called her during her civilian lobbying activities. She embraced the image of an everywoman with a focus on practical solutions. She was Washington state’s first female senator.

Recommended video: Senator Murray sworn in as first-ever woman President Pro Tempore

A focus on a bipartisan approach and progressive advocacy marked Murray’s tenure. She held key positions in the Senate, including the Senate Budget and Health, Labor, Education, and Pensions Committees. Furthermore, she has been a vocal proponent of children’s care, veterans’ services, and women’s health.

The bottom line

The first female U.S. senator from Washington and the youngest senator to occupy the office of president pro tempore in more than five decades, Patty Murray has a relatively modest wealth when compared to some of her peers from the Senate. Valued somewhere between $1.53 million and $3.89 million, Patty Murray’s net worth is below the median net worth for U.S. Senatorial representatives.

Disclaimer: The content on this site should not be considered investment advice. Investing is speculative. When investing, your capital is at risk.

FAQs about Patty Murray net worth

What is Patty Murray's net worth?

According to her publicly available 2023 financial disclosure report, Patty Murray’s net worth is between $1.53 million and $3.89 million.

Who is Patty Murray's husband?

Patty Murray is married to Rob Murray. They have two children together.

Who are the Senators from Washington?

The current Washington’s senators are Patty Murray (senior) and Maria Cantwell (junior).

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