District One Congresswoman Suzan DelBene visited journalism students and history students at Arlington High School on May 7th 2026. Del Bene did a Q&A session with both groups of students, expressing the importance of students educating themselves on political issues.
DelBene wasn’t always in politics. She was a technology executive, and served as a corporate vice president at Microsoft and CEO of a technology startup. She also holds a biology degree and an MBA, starting her career in immunology research before transitioning to business.
Suzan DelBene was here to inform students about the government, how they work and allow students to have any of their inquiries answered. The questions asked by the student varied for important political topics. One of the topics brought up most was political violence and if the way ICE was going about detaining people and deportations was legal or just.
After being asked if she believes ICE is doing their job correctly DelBene said“enforce the laws that are in place right now in terms of helping make sure the immigration rules that we’ve had in place forever are upheld and people have due process. That’s why Congress has to act. We can’t just assume that whoever’s in the White House is gonna decide every day what happens on immigration. We need to make sure those laws are clear for everyone’s sake.”
After college DelBene was doing biomedical research, specifically in immunology and cancer. She expressed being impressed with how AI has improved the field, with helping doctors see one type of cancer versus many and especially in breast cancer patients. But DelBene also expressed concern for what the database is also being used for.
“Those are areas for huge breakthroughs. But we have to also be very clear that there have to be guidelines and rules of the road. Health information is very sensitive. We shouldn’t be providing it for people’s sensitive health information, and allow that to be shared, one, without their consent, and two without making sure that there are the protections necessary,” DelBene said.
Suzan DelBene represents a pretty politically diverse area. District One is Purple blue leaning and whenever DelBene speaks or votes on a topic she is always making somebody unhappy. DelBene believes that both sides of the political spectrum have a lot in common, and that a conversation is what will allow everybody to learn different points of views.
“The fundamental part is to talk to each other, reach out. You know, I knock on doors when I’ve been on campaigns and talk to folks. And when you just really listen, you learn a lot and find there’s a lot you agree on, and people across the community agree on, even if they don’t necessarily know that,” DelBene said.
Roughly 70% of Congress members are men, and in many other power positions typically 75% of them are men, creating male dominant fields. Delbene expresses the need to have more women represented in congress, and that if a girl or woman is interested in it to go for it.
For those young women interested in a career in a male dominated field like politics, DelBene said “Do it, go, participate, because I do think that there are incredible opportunities, and sometimes people just assume that that’s not an opportunity for them. Go, build a strong community, talk to folks who have been in these positions or pursued these similar opportunities before. I think there are incredible opportunities that are available.”
