Catherine Cortez Masto | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2022 | |
| United States Senator fromNevada | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2017 Serving with Jacky Rosen | |
| Preceded by | Harry Reid |
| Chair of theDemocratic Senatorial Campaign Committee | |
| In office January 3, 2019 – January 28, 2021 | |
| Leader | Chuck Schumer |
| Preceded by | Chris Van Hollen |
| Succeeded by | Gary Peters |
| 32ndAttorney General of Nevada | |
| In office January 1, 2007 – January 5, 2015 | |
| Governor | Jim Gibbons Brian Sandoval |
| Preceded by | George Chanos |
| Succeeded by | Adam Laxalt |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Catherine Marie Cortez (1964-03-29)March 29, 1964 (age 61) |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Paul Masto |
| Education | University of Nevada, Reno (BS) Gonzaga University (JD) |
| Signature |  |
| Website | Senate website Campaign website |
Cortez Masto questions witnesses onnuclear waste disposal Recorded December 1, 2022 | |
Catherine Marie Cortez Masto (born March 29, 1964) is an American lawyer and politician serving as theseniorUnited States senator fromNevada, a seat she has held since 2017. A member of theDemocratic Party, Cortez Masto served as the 32ndattorney general of Nevada from 2007 to 2015.
Cortez Masto graduated from theUniversity of Nevada, Reno andGonzaga University School of Law. She worked four years as a civil attorney in Las Vegas and two years as a criminal prosecutor for theU.S. Attorney's Office in Washington, D.C. before being elected Nevada attorney general in 2006, replacingGeorge Chanos. Reelected in 2010, she was not eligible to run for a third term in 2014 because of lifetimeterm limits established by theConstitution of Nevada.
Cortez Masto narrowly defeated RepublicanJoe Heck in the2016 United States Senate election in Nevada to replace outgoing Democratic senatorHarry Reid, becoming the first woman elected to represent Nevada in the Senate and the firstLatina elected to serve in the upper chamber.[1] She took office on January 3, 2017, and became Nevada's senior senator in January 2019, whenDean Heller left the Senate following his defeat. She was narrowly reelected in2022, defeating Republican nomineeAdam Laxalt.[2]
Cortez Masto was born inLas Vegas, Nevada, the daughter of Joanna (née Musso) and Manny Cortez.[3] Her father, an attorney, was the longtime head of theLas Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority and served as a member of theClark County Commission.[4] Now deceased, Manny Cortez had a long-standing friendship withHarry Reid.[5] Her father was ofMexican descent, and her mother is ofItalian ancestry.[6][7] Her paternal grandfather, Eduardo Cortez, immigrated to Nevada fromChihuahua, Mexico.[8][9][10]
Cortez Masto attendedEd W. Clark High School,[11] and earned aBachelor of Science degree infinance from theUniversity of Nevada, Reno in 1986 and aJuris Doctor fromGonzaga University School of Law in 1990.[12]
Cortez Masto was admitted to theState Bar of Nevada in 1990, the U.S. District Court, the District of Nevada in 1991, and theU.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in 1994. Her career includes four years as a civil attorney in Las Vegas and two as acriminal prosecutor for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Washington, D.C. She also served as former Nevada GovernorBob Miller's chief of staff.[5]
In November 2003, Cortez Masto was named executive vice chancellor of theNevada System of Higher Education. There was some controversy, because she was hired directly by the chancellor, not the university system'sboard of regents; the chancellor said the regents had recommended that he hire an assistant, and in December the board voted unanimously to approve her annual salary of $215,000.[13][14]
Cortez Masto was the Democratic nominee for state attorney general in 2006 and defeated Republican nominee Don Chairez 59% to 36%, with 5% for "None of these".[15] She was reelected in 2010, defeating Republican Travis Barrick 52% to 36%, with 8% forIndependent American candidate Joel F. Hansen and 4% for "None of these".[16]
In 2009, Cortez Masto's office launched an investigation intoBrian Krolicki, then Nevada's Republican lieutenant governor. Krolicki faced felony charges related to allegations that he mishandled the Nevada College Savings Trust Fund when he was state treasurer. During the investigation, theLas Vegas Review-Journal discovered that Cortez Masto's husband, Paul, planned to host a fundraising party for Robert S. Randazzo, a Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor, four days before the attorney general's office was scheduled to prosecute Krolicki. Cortez Masto said she was unaware of the fundraising party.[17] The charges against Krolicki were ultimately dismissed in Clark County District Court.[18] The dismissal of charges against Krolicki was regarded as a political setback for Cortez Masto, who, according to theLas Vegas Sun, "opened herself to charges of politicizing her office and prosecutorial misconduct".[19]
In 2010, Cortez Masto's office began investigatingBank of America, accusing the company of raising interest rates on troubled borrowers. Her office sought to end Nevada's participation in a loan modification settlement in order to sue the bank over deceptive marketing and lending practices. Bank of America denied any wrongdoing.[20] The lawsuit was settled in 2012 for $750 million for lien reductions and short sales.[21]
Cortez Masto defended the state of Nevada in the lawsuitSevcik v. Sandoval. The suit challenged Nevada's denial of same-sex marriage, as prohibited by the state's constitution and statutory law. After initially defending the same-sex marriage ban,[22] Cortez Masto and the state abandoned their defense in light of a ruling by theUnited States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.[23]
Cortez Masto declined to run forgovernor of Nevada in the2014 election.[24] WhenU.S. SenatorHarry Reid decided not to run for reelection in the2016 election, he endorsed her as his successor.[5] Cortez Masto's campaign relied heavily on the political infrastructure Reid had assembled.[25] Her Republican opponent was U.S. RepresentativeJoe Heck.
Cortez Masto, who supports increased investments inrenewable energy technology, was supported by theLeague of Conservation Voters.[26] She was also financially supported bypro-choice groups, such asEMILY's List andPlanned Parenthood, and byEnd Citizens United, apolitical action committee seeking to overturnCitizens United v. FEC.[27]
Cortez Masto won 47% of the vote (520,658 votes) to Heck's 45% (494,427 votes). While Heck carried 16 of Nevada's counties and its equivalents, Cortez Masto wonClark County, home to over 70% of the state's population, by over 82,000 votes, over three times her statewide margin of 27,000 votes.[1] She took office on January 3, 2017, becoming the first Latina in the U.S. Senate.[28]
On February 24, 2021, Cortez Masto announced that she would run for reelection in 2022.[29] Among her challengers was her successor as attorney general and2018 nominee for governorAdam Laxalt.[30] Cortez Masto trailed in many polls and was widely seen as the most vulnerable incumbent Democratic U.S. senator. But she narrowly defeated Laxalt, securing a second term.[2][31]
Cortez Masto was participating in the certification of the2021 United States Electoral College vote count whenTrump supportersstormed the U.S. Capitol. She was on the Senate floor, preparing to speak, when the Capitol was breached. Cortez Masto could hear the attackers just outside the chamber, which was secured by Capitol Police. As the attackers neared the chamber, she and her fellow senators were moved to an undisclosed secure location.[32] Cortez Masto tweeted while sheltering in place, calling the attack "un-American and unacceptable".[33]
Source:[34]
In March 2024, Cortez Masto announced she would not support President Biden's nomination ofAdeel Mangi to theThird Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, citing his association with the Alliance of Families for Justice, a criminal justice reform group that advocates on behalf of families affected by mass incarceration.[37] His nomination remained blocked, and in November 2024 it was withdrawn, leaving the position open for the incoming Trump administration to fill.[38]
As of October 2022, Cortez Masto has voted in line withJoe Biden's stated position 92.9% of the time.[39]
Cortez Masto cosponsored the bipartisanSTATES Act proposed in the115th U.S. Congress by senatorsElizabeth Warren andCory Gardner that would exempt individuals or corporations in compliance with state cannabis laws from federal enforcement of theControlled Substances Act.[40]
Cortez Masto recognizes the existence of human-causedclimate change and believes that the federal government should limit power plants'greenhouse gas emissions.[41] She supports the growth ofgreen jobs and increasing Nevada's reliance onsolar power and other forms ofclean energy. She opposes the use ofYucca Mountain as anuclear waste repository.[42] Cortez Masto was a member of the Senate Democrats' Special Committee on the Climate Crisis, which published a report of its findings in August 2020.[43]
Cortez Masto supports reforming thefilibuster of the United States Senate into a talking filibuster.[44][45][46]
In October 2017, Cortez Masto condemned thegenocide of theRohingya Muslim minority inMyanmar and called for a stronger response to the crisis.[47]
In August 2025, Cortez Mastro was one of 23 Democratic senators, a minority of Senate Democrats, who voted to continue arms sales to Israel during theGaza Strip famine.[48]
TheNational Rifle AssociationPolitical Victory Fund (NRA-PVF) has given Cortez Masto an "F" grade because of her support forgun control.[49] During the 2016 election, the organization spent $1 million on an attack ad against her.[50] Cortez Masto opposes allowing people on theterrorist watchlist to buy guns, saying that "makes no sense".[51]
In response to the2017 Las Vegas shooting, she co-sponsored a bill withDianne Feinstein to banbump stocks. She said that it can be a start toward decreasing gun violence and mass shootings.[52]
Cortez Masto does not support the repeal of theAffordable Care Act (also known as Obamacare).[41] She does support improving upon the act, which she has called "imperfect". She has co-sponsored the Marketplace Certainty Act to bring more stability to the health insurance marketplace.[53]
In June 2019, after theHousing and Urban Development Department confirmed thatDeferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients did not meet eligibility for federal backed loans, Cortez Masto and 11 other senators introduced the Home Ownership Dreamers Act, legislation mandating that the federal government not be authorized to deny mortgage loans backed by theFederal Housing Administration,Fannie Mae,Freddie Mac, or theAgriculture Department solely due to applicants' immigration status.[54]
In July 2019, Cortez Masto and 15 other Senate Democrats introduced the Protecting Sensitive Locations Act, which mandated that ICE agents get a supervisor's approval before engaging in enforcement actions at sensitive locations, except in special circumstances, that agents receive annual training, and that they be required to report annually on enforcement actions at those locations.[55]
Cortez Masto supportssame-sex marriage.[41]
Cortez Masto supports legalized abortion.[41] In the 2016 election, she was endorsed byPlanned Parenthood and funded by their action fund.[56]
She does not believe that companies should be allowed to withhold coverage forbirth control based on religious beliefs.[41]
In July 2024, Cortez Masto began working with a committee to plan to sponsor legislation grantingPuerto Rico a self-determination referendum with federal repeal.[57]
Cortez Masto lives inLas Vegas with her husband, Paul Masto, a retiredUnited States Secret Service special agent.[58] She isRoman Catholic.[59][60][61]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Catherine Cortez Masto | 339,465 | 59.04% | +25.32% | |
| Republican | Don Chairez | 204,816 | 35.62% | −22.85% | |
| None of These Candidates | 30,694 | 5.34% | +1.56% | ||
| Total votes | 100% | ||||
| Democraticgain fromRepublican | |||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Catherine Cortez Masto (incumbent) | 372,010 | 52.89% | −6.15% | |
| Republican | Travis Barrick | 251,269 | 35.73% | +0.14% | |
| Independent | Joel Hansen | 54,980 | 7.67% | ||
| None of These Candidates | 26,072 | 3.71% | -1.63% | ||
| Total votes | 100% | ||||
| Democratichold | |||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Catherine Cortez Masto | 81,944 | 81.0% | |
| Democratic | Allen Rheinhart | 5,645 | 6.0% | |
| Democratic | None of these candidates | 5,498 | 5.0% | |
| Democratic | Liddo Susan O'Briant | 4,834 | 5.0% | |
| Democratic | Bobby Mahendra | 3,760 | 3.0% | |
| Total votes | 101,681 | 100.0% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Catherine Cortez Masto | 521,994 | 47.10% | −3.19% | |
| Republican | Joe Heck | 495,079 | 44.67% | +0.12% | |
| n/a | None of these Candidates | 42,257 | 3.81% | +1.56% | |
| Independent American | Tom Jones | 17,128 | 1.55% | +1.11% | |
| Independent | Thomas Sawyer | 14,208 | 1.28% | N/A | |
| Independent | Tony Gumina | 10,740 | 0.97% | N/A | |
| Independent | Jarrod Williams | 6,888 | 0.62% | N/A | |
| Total votes | 1,108,294 | 100.0% | N/A | ||
| Democratichold | |||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Catherine Cortez Masto (incumbent) | 498,316 | 48.81% | +1.71% | |
| Republican | Adam Laxalt | 490,388 | 48.04% | +3.37% | |
| None of These Candidates | 12,441 | 1.22% | -2.59% | ||
| Independent | Barry Lindemann | 8,075 | 0.79% | N/A | |
| Libertarian | Neil Scott | 6,422 | 0.63% | N/A | |
| Independent American | Barry Rubinson | 5,208 | 0.51% | −1.04% | |
| Total votes | 1,020,850 | 100.0% | |||
| Democratichold | |||||
A Las Vegas native and University of Nevada, Reno graduate, Cortez Masto said she is half-Mexican and half-Sicilian and represents the American dream, noting she was the first in her family to attend college
On a federal level, Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., has co-sponsored legislation that would allow marijuana businesses in legal states to bank without fear of money laundering accusation.
| Legal offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Attorney General of Nevada 2007–2015 | Succeeded by |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Democratic nominee forU.S. Senator fromNevada (Class 3) 2016,2022 | Most recent |
| Preceded by | Chair of theDemocratic Senatorial Campaign Committee 2019–2021 | Succeeded by |
| U.S. Senate | ||
| Preceded by Harry Reid | United States Senator (Class 3) from Nevada 2017–present Served alongside:Dean Heller,Jacky Rosen | Incumbent |
| U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
| Preceded by | Order of precedence of the United States as United States Senator | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | United States senators by seniority 62nd | |
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| Class 3 | ||
| International | |
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| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
