Catherine Cortez Masto

A proven leader fighting for Nevadans

Born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada, Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto has deep roots in the Silver State. Serving for eight years as her state’s attorney general, she worked to keep Nevada communities safe, strengthening state laws to prevent domestic violence and protecting middle-class families from fraudulent mortgage schemes and predatory lenders. In 2016, Sen. Cortez Masto ran a successful campaign to hold outgoing Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid’s seat for the Democrats — and when she was elected, Nevadans made history, voting to make her the first-ever Latina senator. In her first term, she quickly established a reputation as a tireless champion for working families and an effective leader who made Nevadans’ voices heard. Sen. Cortez Masto lives in Las Vegas with her husband Paul, a retired Secret Service agent.

A champion for Silver State working families

Sen. Cortez Masto is deeply committed to expanding economic opportunity for Nevada working families. She believes that all Americans have the right to affordable, quality health care, and she has been a strong advocate in the Senate for strengthening our health care system and for protecting Medicare and Medicaid. A strong advocate for women and children, Sen. Cortez Masto is a cosponsor of the Healthy Maternal and Obstetric Medicine (Healthy MOM) Act, which would ensure that mothers and their babies have access to the care they need, both before and after birth. She is a fierce defender of a woman’s right to choose and believes that reproductive health decisions should be made by a woman and her doctor, not politicians in Washington. A cosponsor of the DREAM Act and a fervent supporter of comprehensive immigration reform, Sen. Cortez Masto is working to repair our broken immigration system and protect hardworking families. Her position on four Senate committees allows her to continue to advocate for the issues that matter most to Nevadans. She sits on the Committee on Finance; the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources; and the Committee on Indian Affairs. Sen. Cortez Masto will continue to work tirelessly on behalf of the working families she serves.

A trailblazer who successfully defended a critical seat in a swing state

When she was first elected, Sen. Cortez Masto became the first woman Nevada elected to the Senate as well as the first Latina senator. In her first term, this trailblazer made a tremendous positive impact on her state and our country, she has changed the face of power in the Senate. The EMILY’s List community is proud to continue to support her every step of the way as she won her first reelection campaign and as she fights to move our country forward.