Who is Catherine Cortez Masto? The first Latina senator fought off a Trump-backed opponent to keep Democratic control of the Senate.
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Catherine Cortez Masto, the incumbent Democratic senator from Nevada, won her midterm Saturday.
Cortez Masto made history in 2016 as the nation's first Latina senator.
The former prosecutor was also the first woman elected to represent Nevada in the Senate.
Catherine Cortez Masto, the incumbent Democratic senator from Nevada, was declared the winner of her midterm election against GOP challenger Adam Laxalt on Saturday.
The former prosecutor made history in 2016, becoming the first Latina ever elected to the US Senate. Cortez Masto was also the first woman elected to represent Nevada.
With her victory, Cortez Masto secured Democratic control of the Senate for the next two years during a contentious election cycle.
Here's a look at her life, early career, and time in Congress.
Cortez Masto was born in Las Vegas, Nevada. Her father was also an attorney and she received a law degree from Gonzaga School of Law in 1990, going on to serve in the US Court of Appeals and as a prosecutor during her early career.
Cortez Masto went on to serve two terms as the Nevada state attorney general, winning her elections in 2006 and 2010. Under her leadership, the office investigated Bank of America for unfair business practices and reversed its defense of the state's gay marriage ban.
As Attorney General, Cortez Masto focused on issues impacting seniors, women, and children. She passed the reform of Nevada's guardianship laws and helped pass a law to make sex trafficking a crime at the state level.
Cortez Masto made history in 2016 when she became the first Latina in the US Senate. She was also the first woman elected to represent Nevada, supported by then-Vice President Joe Biden on the campaign trail.
As a Senator, Cortez Masto serves on the Finance Committee, the Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and the Indian Affairs Committee.
Chuck Schumer named Cortez Masto Chairwoman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee in 2018, where she develops strategies to elect Democrats to the United States Senate.
Cortez Masto was preparing to speak on the Senate floor when the Capitol was breached on January 6, 2021, and voted twice to impeach then-President Donald Trump.
Read the original article on Business Insider