Meet Catherine

Catherine Cortez Masto was born and raised in Las Vegas and has dedicated her life to fighting for and protecting Nevadans.

After serving two terms as Nevada’s Attorney General and chief law enforcement officer, Catherine made history as the first woman from Nevada and the first Latina ever elected to the Senate.

Catherine comes from a big family with a whole lot of love, food, and faith.

Her dad’s family was from Mexico and her mom’s was from Italy, and the family has continued to grow since her grandparents brought their young families to Las Vegas.

Catherine’s grandfather served our country in WWII, and her dad followed in his footsteps and joined the Army.

After his service, he returned to Las Vegas where he met Catherine’s mother and started work as a parking attendant at the Dunes Hotel. He worked his way up to serve as a Clark County Commissioner and became the head of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. Catherine’s mother was a strong figure in her life and was crucial to her father’s work building the city we know and love today.

“My family taught me to work hard, be honest, and respect everyone. That’s what I’ve done throughout my life and as your Senator.”

— Catherine

As Nevada’s Attorney General and chief law enforcement officer, Catherine kept our communities safe.

She cracked down on crime, protected consumers, and worked closely with local law enforcement. She made it her mission to stand up for vulnerable women and girls, leading the fight to break up sex trafficking rings, passing a landmark law to make sex trafficking a felony crime, ensuring victims of domestic and sexual violence had the right to sue their captors, and expanding the sex offender registry to protect kids.

When Catherine saw Nevadans being taken advantage of, she took action.

She created a special Senior Protection Unit to keep seniors safe from abuse, neglect, and scams and took on the Big Banks in the aftermath of the housing crisis. Catherine worked hard to hold the banks accountable for preying on homeowners, ultimately securing $1.9 billion for Nevadans. She also held big pharmaceutical companies accountable for deceiving consumers, securing millions of dollars for Nevada through several major settlements.

In the Senate, Catherine is delivering for Nevadans, working with Democrats, Republicans, and Independents to get things done.

She has consistently worked to protect Social Security and Medicare, fighting efforts to cut access to these critical programs. When the pandemic hit, Catherine stood up for us when we needed her most. She helped secure loans and support to help our small businesses keep their doors open and their employees paid, while delivering emergency relief to reopen our schools and support students’ mental health.

Catherine is focused on making a difference for the people of Nevada.

In the Senate, Catherine is strengthening Nevada’s economy by creating good paying jobs and taking on the Chinese government to bring manufacturing back home. She has continued to work closely with Nevada law enforcement and is leading efforts to secure federal funding for local police departments. She has consistently fought to lower health care costs for Nevada families, improve access to mental health support, and bring down the cost of prescription drugs. Catherine is a leader in the Senate pushing for action and securing resources to combat climate change and create clean energy jobs. She is fighting to protect Dreamers and repair our broken immigration system, which is critical for Nevada communities and our economy.

Catherine and her husband Paul live in Las Vegas.

After Paul made several attempts to take her on a date, she finally agreed on the condition that she would drive herself so she could leave at any time. 23 years later, she still hasn’t left. They enjoy hiking together and traveling through Nevada’s state parks.