Mazie Hirono | |
|---|---|
広野 慶子 | |
 Official portrait, 2013 | |
| United States Senator from Hawaii | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2013 Serving with Brian Schatz | |
| Preceded by | Daniel Akaka |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives from Hawaii's2nd district | |
| In office January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2013 | |
| Preceded by | Ed Case |
| Succeeded by | Tulsi Gabbard |
| 10thLieutenant Governor of Hawaii | |
| In office December 2, 1994 – December 2, 2002 | |
| Governor | Ben Cayetano |
| Preceded by | Ben Cayetano |
| Succeeded by | Duke Aiona |
| Member of the Hawaii House of Representatives | |
| In office January 3, 1981 – December 2, 1994 | |
| Preceded by | Clifford Uwaine David Hagino |
| Succeeded by | Terry Yoshinaga |
| Constituency | 12th district (1981–1983) 20th district (1983–1985) 32nd district (1985–1993) 22nd district (1993–1994) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Mazie Keiko Hirono (1947-11-03)November 3, 1947 (age 78) |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | |
| Residence | Honolulu, Hawaii |
| Education | University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (BA) Georgetown University (JD) |
| Signature |  |
| Website | Senate website Campaign website |
Mazie Keiko Hirono (/ˈmeɪzihiˈroʊnoʊ/; Japanese name:広野 慶子,Hirono Keiko; born November 3, 1947) is an American lawyer and politician serving since 2013 as thejuniorUnited States senator from Hawaii. A member of theDemocratic Party, Hirono previously served as a member of theUnited States House of Representatives forHawaii's 2nd congressional district from 2007 to 2013. She has been the dean ofHawaii's congressional delegation since 2013, when SenatorDaniel Akaka retired. Hirono also served as a member of theHawaii House of Representatives from 1981 to 1994 and asHawaii's tenth lieutenant governor from 1994 to 2002. She was the Democratic nominee for governor of Hawaii in2002, but lost to RepublicanLinda Lingle.
Hirono is the first elected female senator from Hawaii, the firstAsian-American woman elected to the Senate, the first U.S. senator born in Japan, and the nation's firstBuddhist senator although she considers herself a non-practicing Buddhist.[1][2] She is often cited withHank Johnson as the first Buddhist to serve in theUnited States Congress.[3] She is also the third woman to be elected to Congress from Hawaii (afterPatsy Mink andPat Saiki).
In2012, Hirono was the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Akaka. Hirono won the election, defeating Lingle in a landslide, 63% to 37%. She was sworn in on January 3, 2013, by Vice PresidentJoe Biden. Hirono was the only person of Asian ancestry serving in the U.S. Senate from 2013 until 2017, when senatorsTammy Duckworth andKamala Harris were sworn in, representing Illinois and California, respectively. Hirono is Hawaii's junior senator, andBrian Schatz is its senior senator. She was reelected to the Senate in2018 and won a third term against Republican nomineeBob McDermott in2024.
Mazie Hirono was born on November 3, 1947, inFukushima Prefecture, Japan to Laura Chie Satō, as Japanese American, and Hirono Matabe, a Japanese veteran of World War II. Laura decided to return to Hawaii with Mazie and one of Mazie's brothers in March 1955. Hirono never saw her father again before he died.[4]
Laura became a newspaper proofreader in 1961 and retired from the Hawaii Newspaper Agency in 1986.[5][6]
Raised inHonolulu, Hirono became anaturalized U.S. citizen in 1959.[7] She graduated fromKaimuki High School, which had a predominantly Japanese American student body at the time. Hirono then enrolled at theUniversity of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, graduatingPhi Beta Kappa with aBachelor of Arts inpsychology in 1970.[8] She later attendedGeorgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C., where she obtained herJuris Doctor in 1978. Hirono then returned to Honolulu, where she practiced law.[9]
In 1980, Hirono was elected to Hawaii's 12th House district in amulti-member district with Democratic State RepresentativeDavid Hagino.[10] Hawaii eliminated multi-member districts, and after redistricting she ran for Hawaii's 20th House district and won.[11] After redistricting again in 1984, she ran successfully for the newly redrawn 32nd House District.[12] In 1992, after redistricting, she ran one last time in the newly redrawn 22nd House district. She easily won the three-candidate Democratic primary with 91% of the vote.[13] She won the general election and served only one term in the 22nd district before retiring in 1994 to run for statewide office.[14]
Hirono served in theHawaii House of Representatives from 1981 to 1994, sponsoring many bills that became state law.
From 1987 to 1992, she was Chair of the Consumer Protection and Commerce Committee.[15]
Hirono ran forlieutenant governor of Hawaii and won the Democratic primary, defeating fellow State Representative Jackie Young 65%–26%.[16] In the general election she defeated three other candidates: Danny Kaniela Kaleikini (Best Party), State RepresentativeFred Hemmings (Republican Party), and Jack Morse (Green Party), 37%–31%–29%–4%.[17]
Hirono ran for reelection in 1998. She defeated Nancy Cook in the primary with 89% of the vote to Cook's 11%.[18] In the general election, Hirono defeated Republican State Senator Stan Koki, 50%–49%, a margin of only 5,254 votes.[19]
The election of the Democratic ticket was historic for both candidates.Ben Cayetano was the first Filipino American elected governor, and Hirono was the first Japanese immigrant to be elected lieutenant governor.
During her tenure as lieutenant governor, Hirono was president of the National Commission on Teaching, America's Future, and the Hawaii Policy Group. She also spearheaded the Pre-Plus program, a first-in-the-nation comprehensive universal preschool education program.[citation needed]
Hirono originally planned to run formayor of Honolulu in a potential 2002 special election created by the vacancy of incumbent MayorJeremy Harris, who was planning to resign to run forgovernor of Hawaii. But due to internal controversies, Harris dropped out of the gubernatorial election and remained mayor for another two years. Hirono switched races.
Hirono worked to gain the support of Hawaii Democrats in her primary against former State House Majority LeaderEd Case. After polling almost equally throughout the race, Hirono defeated Case in the September 21 Democratic primary with 41% of the vote to Case's 40%, a margin of 2,613 votes.[20][21][22]
In the general election, Republican nominee andMaui MayorLinda Lingle defeated Hirono 52–47%, becoming Hawaii's first female governor.[23][24]
On September 23, Hirono ran to representHawaii's 2nd congressional district in the House of Representatives after incumbentEd Case chose not to seek another term. The Democratic primary was crowded and very competitive. There were ten candidates, seven of whom served in theHawaii Legislature. Hirono's advantage was that she was the only candidate who had held statewide office and, as a result, had the most name recognition. She led in fundraising, helped by the endorsement ofEMILY's List.[25] She won with a plurality of 22% of the vote. State SenatorColleen Hanabusa finished second with 21%, 845 votes short of Hirono.[26][27]
In the general election Hirono defeatedRepublican State SenatorBob Hogue, 61%–39%.[28]
Hirono won reelection to a second term with 76% of the vote.[29]
Hirono won reelection to a third term with 72% of the vote.[30]
In 2008, the national preschool advocacy organization named Hirono "Pre-K Champion" for her efforts to pass pre-kindergarten legislation.[31]
Hirono co-sponsored the Prevention First Act of 2007. The act aimed to increase public access tocontraception and government funding to support the use of contraception.[32] It places an emphasis on informing and protecting women from unintended pregnancy.[32]On May 4, 2011, Hirono voted against theNo Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, which would have prohibited federal health care programs from covering abortion costs, with exceptions for life-threatening cases.[32]
In July 2011, Hirono voted for the Access to Birth Control Act, which mandates that pharmacies provide birth control to customers without undue delay.[32] The ABP Act also ensures that customers seeking birth control can obtain it without being submitted to unwanted harassment or breaches in patient confidentiality.[32]EMILY's List, a Democratic pro-choice action committee, pledged support to Hirono for her history of supporting contraceptive and abortion policies during her term.[32] The endorsement helped Hirono in her 2012 senatorial race, contributing $129,714 to her campaign.[33][34]
In 2011, incumbent U.S. SenatorDaniel Akaka announced his retirement at the end of his term in 2013. Subsequently, on May 19, 2011, Hirono announced her candidacy for Akaka's seat.[36] She won the Democratic primary election on August 11, 2012.[37] Hirono was endorsed as one of theDean Dozen, a group of candidates chosen for their progressive values byDemocracy for America, an organization founded by former Vermont governorHoward Dean. The Republican nominee was former Hawaii GovernorLinda Lingle, who had defeated Hirono a decade earlier in the gubernatorial election. Hirono defeated Lingle with 63% of the vote.[38] She is the first female senator from Hawaii, as well as the first Asian-born immigrant to be elected to the U.S. Senate.[39] She was a part of the first completely non-Christian congressional delegation from the state, which existed until the election ofMark Takai (anEpiscopalian) in 2014 as the representative for Hawaii's 1st congressional district.[40]
In the 2012 campaign, Hirono raised $5.2 million, with approximately 52% raised from large corporations. Lingle raised $5.5 million, with 74% from large corporations. Hirono spent $5 million and Lingle $4.8 million.[41]
On November 6, 2018, Hirono was reelected with 71.2% of the vote, defeating Republican Ron Curtis.[42]
Hirono was elected to a third term in 2024.[43]
On December 12, 2012, the Senate Democratic Steering Committee announced that Hirono would serve on theSenate Judiciary Committee, which would give her influence on matters ranging from approving nominations of federal judges to setting criminal justice policy.
During theBrett Kavanaugh Supreme Court nomination hearings in September 2018, Hirono was an outspoken defender ofChristine Blasey Ford after Ford accused Kavanaugh of sexual assault, telling men to "shut up and step up. Do the right thing for a change."[44][45][46] She also said in an NPR interview before Kavanaugh's confirmation hearings that she could vote to confirm him "if he turns miraculously into a Sotomayor".[47]
In the wake of theJanuary 6 United States Capitol attack, Hirono called for the resignation of SenatorsTed Cruz andJosh Hawley for their opposition tocertifying the 2020 presidential election Electoral College count.[48] She also called for theTwenty-fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution to be invoked to remove Donald Trump from office.[49]
In April 2021, Hirono sponsored a bill attempting to decrease hate crimes against Asian Americans due to xenophobia associated with COVID-19. The bill passed the Senate 94–1, with only Hawley opposing it.[50]
In July 2022, Hirono co-sponsored the Youth Voting Rights Act, comprehensive legislation to enforce the Twenty-Sixth Amendment and expand youth access to voting. This legislation, led by SenatorElizabeth Warren, was also introduced in the House by RepresentativeNikema Williams.[51]
According toOn the Issues, Hirono's voting history places her in the "left/liberal" camp.[54] TheAmerican Conservative Union gave her a 2% lifetime conservative rating in 2020.[55]
Hirono has a 100% rating fromReproductive Freedom for All (formerly NARAL Pro-Choice America).[54] She has also been consistently endorsed byEMILY's List, an organization that endorses women running on pro-choice platforms.[56] At aSenate Judiciary Committee hearing, Hirono told the panel: "If you don't support abortion, don't get one, but leave everyone else to the painful decisions they have to make along with their physicians".[57]
Hirono called theJune 2022 overturning ofRoe v. Wade "a horrific day in America".[58] She proclaimed, "This will go down as one of the worst decisions in the history of the Court."[59]
In 2016, she participated in theChris Murphy gun control filibuster. Hirono expressed disappointment when the Democrat-proposed Feinstein Amendment (banning the sale of firearms to individuals on theterrorist watchlist) and the Republican-backed background check expansion and alert system (regarding guns being sold to terrorist watchlist suspects) both failed to pass the Senate.[60]
On July 28, 2017, two months after undergoing surgery for stage-four kidney cancer, Hirono spoke on the Senate floor and voted against the so-called "skinny repeal" of theAffordable Care Act (Obamacare).[61]MSNBC reporter Kyle Griffin filmed Hirono's speech and posted it on Twitter.[62]
In January 2019, during the2018–19 United States federal government shutdown, Hirono was one of 34 senators to sign a letter toCommissioner of Food and DrugsScott Gottlieb recognizing the efforts of the FDA to address the effect of the government shutdown on the public health and employees while expressing alarm "that the continued shutdown will result in increasingly harmful effects on the agency's employees and the safety and security of the nation's food and medical products."[63]
Hirono is a supporter ofMedicare for All.[64]
In April 2019, Hirono was one of 41 senators to sign a bipartisan letter to a Senate subcommittee on housing praising theDepartment of Housing and Urban Development's Section 4 Capacity Building program as authorizing "HUD to partner with national nonprofit community development organizations to provide education, training, and financial support to local community development corporations (CDCs) across the country" and expressing disappointment that Trump's budget "has slated this program for elimination after decades of successful economic and community development." The senators hoped the subcommittee would support continued funding for Section 4 in Fiscal Year 2020.[65]
Hirono supports the right of LGBTQ+ Americans to enlist in the Armed Forces.[66] She also supported H.R. 1681, the Every Child Deserves a Family Act, a "non-discrimination" bill that would have decertified any foster care or adoption agency, such asCatholic Charities, that did not accept same-sex foster parents regardless of religious beliefs.[67]
In January 2024, Hirono voted for a resolution proposed byBernie Sanders to apply thehuman rights provisions of theForeign Assistance Act toU.S. aid to Israel's military. The proposal was defeated, 72 to 11.[68] In April 2025, Hirono voted for a pair of resolutions Sanders proposed to cancel theTrump administration's sales of $8.8 billion in bombs and other munitions to Israel. The proposals were defeated, 82 to 15.[69]
In April 2019, Hirono was one of seven senators to sponsor the Digital Equity Act of 2019, legislation establishing a $120 million grant program that would fund the creation and implementation of "comprehensive digital equity plans" in every state and a $120 million grant program to support projects developed by individuals and groups. The bill also gave theNational Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) the role of evaluating and providing guidance for digital equity projects.[70]
In May 2017, Hirono was diagnosed with stage 4kidney cancer, which had spread to her seventh rib.[71] The cancer was discovered in a chest X-ray in April before minor eye surgery.[72] Hirono's right kidney was removed on May 17, 2017, with aCyberknife procedure to treat the rib lesion.[73][71] She returned to the Senate on May 22, 2017.[74]
As of 2018, according to OpenSecrets.org, Hirono's net worth was more than $4.3 million.[75]
In 2021, Viking Press published Hirono's autobiography,Heart of Fire: An Immigrant Daughter's Story.[76]Marie Claire listed the book among its "25 Great Memoirs to Pre-Order Now".[77]
Also in 2021, it was announced that Hirono would receive Japan'sOrder of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star for her "significant contributions in strengthening bilateral relations and promoting legislative exchanges between Japan and the United States".[78]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Linda Lingle | 197,009 | 51.56% | +2.74% | ||
| Democratic | Mazie Hirono | 179,647 | 47.01% | −3.09% | ||
| Natural Law | Bu Laʻia Hill | 2,561 | 0.67% | N/A | ||
| Libertarian | Tracy Ryan | 1,364 | 0.36% | −0.72% | ||
| Independent | Jim Brewer | 1,147 | 0.30% | N/A | ||
| Independent | Daniel Cunningham | 382 | 0.10% | N/A | ||
| Total votes | 382,110 | 100.00% | N/A | |||
| Republicangain fromDemocratic | ||||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Mazie Hirono | 106,906 | 61.04% | |
| Republican | Bob Hogue | 68,244 | 38.96% | |
| Total votes | 175,150 | 100.00% | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Mazie Hirono (inc.) | 165,748 | 76.06% | |
| Republican | Roger B. Evans | 44,425 | 20.39% | |
| Independent | Shaun Stenshol | 4,042 | 1.85% | |
| Libertarian | Jeff Mallan | 3,699 | 1.70% | |
| Total votes | 217,914 | 100.00% | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Mazie Hirono (incumbent) | 132,290 | 72.19% | |
| Republican | John W. Willoughby | 46,404 | 25.32% | |
| Libertarian | Pat Brock | 3,254 | 1.78% | |
| Independent | Andrew Von Sonn | 1,310 | 0.71% | |
| Total votes | 183,258 | 100.00% | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Mazie Hirono | 134,745 | 57% | |
| Democratic | Ed Case | 95,553 | 40% | |
| Blank Votes | 3,331 | 1% | ||
| Democratic | Arturo Reyes | 1,720 | 1% | |
| Democratic | Michael Gillespie | 1,104 | 1% | |
| Democratic | Antonio Gimbernat | 517 | 0.2% | |
| Over Votes | 110 | 0% | ||
| Total votes | 237,080 | 100% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Mazie Hirono | 269,489 | 62.60% | +1.25% | |
| Republican | Linda Lingle | 160,994 | 37.40% | +0.62% | |
| Total votes | 430,483 | 100.0% | N/A | ||
| Democratichold | |||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Mazie Hirono (incumbent) | 201,679 | 100% | |
| Total votes | 201,679 | 100% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Mazie Hirono (incumbent) | 276,316 | 71.15% | +8.55% | |
| Republican | Ron Curtis | 112,035 | 28.85% | −8.55% | |
| Total votes | 388,351 | 100% | N/A | ||
| Democratichold | |||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Mazie Hirono (incumbent) | 176,131 | 84.6% | |
| Democratic | Ron Curtis | 14,271 | 6.9% | |
| Democratic | Clyde Lewman | 4,287 | 2.1% | |
| Total votes | 194,689 | 100.0% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Mazie Hirono (incumbent) | 324,194 | 64.61 | −6.54 | |
| Republican | Bob McDermott | 160,075 | 31.90 | +3.05 | |
| We the People | Shelby Billionaire | 9,224 | 1.84 | N/A | |
| Green | Emma Pohlman | 8,270 | 1.65 | N/A | |
| Total votes | 501,763 | 100.00 | N/A | ||
| Hawaii House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Clifford Uwaine David Hagino | Member of theHawaii House of Representatives from the 12th district 1981–1983 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by Mitsuo Shito Daniel J. Kihano | Member of theHawaii House of Representatives from the 20th district 1983–1985 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Member of theHawaii House of Representatives from the 32nd district 1985–1993 | Succeeded by Len Pepper |
| Preceded by | Member of theHawaii House of Representatives from the 22nd district 1993–1994 | Succeeded by Terry Yoshinaga |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii 1994–2002 | Succeeded by |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Democratic nominee forLieutenant Governor of Hawaii 1994,1998 | Succeeded by Matt Matsunaga |
| Democratic nominee forGovernor of Hawaii 2002 | Succeeded by | |
| Preceded by | Democratic nominee forU.S. Senator fromHawaii (Class 1) 2012,2018,2024 | Most recent |
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromHawaii's 2nd congressional district 2007–2013 | Succeeded by |
| U.S. Senate | ||
| Preceded by | U.S. Senator (Class 1) from Hawaii 2013–present Served alongside:Brian Schatz | Incumbent |
| U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
| Preceded byas United States Senator fromNew Mexico | Order of precedence of the United States as United States Senator fromHawaii since January 3, 2013 | Succeeded byas United States Senator fromMassachusetts |
| Preceded by | United States senators by seniority 38th | Succeeded by |
Statewide political officials ofHawaii | ||
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