Lisa Murkowski, Alaska

Lisa Murkowski is a Republican U.S. Senator from Alaska who has served since 2002, making her one of the longest-serving women in Senate history. A graduate of Georgetown University with a J.D. from Willamette University College of Law, she practiced commercial law in Anchorage and served in the Alaska House of Representatives before her appointment to the Senate. Known for her independent streak and willingness to cross party lines, she has been a leading voice on energy policy, Alaska Native affairs, and healthcare access, and notably won reelection in 2010 as a write-in candidate — only the second Senate candidate to do so since 1954.