Catherine Marie Cortez Masto, a trailblazing American lawyer and politician, has been serving as the senior United States senator from Nevada since 2017. Born on March 29, 1964, she is a prominent figure in the Democratic Party, having previously served as the 32nd attorney general of Nevada from 2007 to 2015.
Cortez Masto's educational background is marked by her attendance at the University of Nevada, Reno, and the prestigious Gonzaga University School of Law. Her professional journey began with four years as a civil attorney in Las Vegas, followed by two years as a criminal prosecutor for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Washington, D.C.
In 2006, Cortez Masto was elected as the attorney general of Nevada, succeeding George Chanos. She went on to secure a second term in 2010, but was limited by Nevada's constitutional term limits, which prohibited her from running for a third term in 2014.
Cortez Masto's remarkable political career took a significant turn in 2016, when she narrowly defeated Republican candidate Joe Heck in the United States Senate election in Nevada. This historic victory made her the first woman to represent Nevada in the Senate and the first Latina to serve in the upper chamber. She took office on January 3, 2017, and became Nevada's senior senator in January 2019, following Dean Heller's departure from the Senate.
In 2022, Cortez Masto secured a narrow reelection victory, defeating Republican nominee Adam Laxalt. Throughout her tenure, she has remained a strong advocate for her constituents, working tirelessly to address the needs and concerns of the people of Nevada.
