Susan C. Lee holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Maryland College Park and a law degree from the University of San Francisco School of Law. She has practiced law in both private and public sectors, including roles with the United States Commission on Civil Rights and the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Lee has also held leadership positions in community organizations, such as co-chairing the Montgomery County NAACP Multicultural Community Partnership. Her legislative career began with an appointment to the Maryland House of Delegates, followed by multiple re-elections and a subsequent election to the Maryland Senate. She currently serves as the Maryland Secretary of State.

Susan C. Lee's political identity is marked by a calculated approach to contentious issues, as evidenced by her consideration of excluding former President Donald Trump from the primary ballot under the Fourteenth Amendment, though she ultimately decided against it. This decision highlights her nuanced stance on balancing constitutional principles with political realities. Lee's background in civil rights law and her leadership roles in community organizations suggest a deeply rooted commitment to equity, yet her policy decisions reveal a strategic balancing act between progressive ideals and pragmatic considerations. Her ideological agility is further underscored by her legislative record, which shows unexpected alignments on issues typically polarized. This blend of principled stands and strategic maneuvering invites deeper inquiry into her guiding political philosophy.