Mazie Hirono

Mazie Keiko Hirono(/ˈmeɪzihiˈroʊnoʊ/;Japanese name:Quảng dãKhánh tử,Hirono Keiko;born November 3, 1947) is an American lawyer and politician serving since 2013 as thejuniorUnited States senatorfromHawaii.A member of theDemocratic Party,Hirono previously served as a member of theUnited States House of RepresentativesforHawaii's 2nd congressional districtfrom 2007 to 2013. Hirono also served as a member of theHawaii House of Representativesfrom 1981 to 1995 and asHawaii's tenth lieutenant governorfrom 1994 to 2002, underBen Cayetano.She was the Democratic nominee for governor of Hawaii in2002,but lost to RepublicanLinda Lingle.

Mazie Hirono
Quảng dã khánh tử
Official portrait, 2013
United States Senator fromHawaii
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2013 Serving withBrian Schatz
Preceded by	Daniel Akaka
Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromHawaii's2nddistrict
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 Koori, Fukushima,Japan
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Leighton Kim Oshima ​ (m.1987)​
Residence	Honolulu, Hawaii
Education	University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa(BA) Georgetown University(JD)
Signature
Website	Senate website

Hirono is the first elected female senator from Hawaii, the firstAsian-Americanwoman elected to the Senate, the first U.S. senator born inJapan,and the nation's firstBuddhistsenator although she considers herself a non-practicing Buddhist.She is often cited withHank Johnsonas the first Buddhist to serve in theUnited States Congress.She is also the third woman to be elected to Congress from Hawaii (afterPatsy MinkandPat Saiki).

In2012,Hirono was the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by the retirement ofDaniel 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 DuckworthandKamala Harriswere sworn in, representing Illinois and California, respectively. Hirono is Hawaii's junior senator andBrian Schatzis its senior senator. She was reelected to the Senate in2018,and won a third term against Republican nomineeBob McDermottin2024.

Early life and education

Mazie Hirono was born on November 3, 1947, inFukushima Prefecture,Japanto Laura Chie Satō, aJapanese American,and Hirono Matabe, a Japanese veteran of World War II. Mazie's maternal grandfather, Hiroshi Satō, immigrated to Hawaii to work on asugar plantationat the age of 16; her grandmother, Tari Shinoki, immigrated to Hawaii as apicture bride.After finding plantation work difficult, the couple opened a bathhouse on River Street inHonoluluin 1928. The couple had a daughter, Laura Chie, in 1924, and a son, Akira.

In 1939, Tari returned toJapanwith the teenaged Laura and Akira; Hiroshi remained in Hawaii to run the bathhouse for two more years before joining his family in 1941. Laura felt out of place in Japan as one of the manyNiseiJapanese Americans who emigrated with their returningIsseiparents (barred from US citizenship or land ownership) before World War II and during theGreat Depression.But although her brother returned to Hawaii after the war, she remained in Japan and married a veterinarian, Hirono Matabe, in 1946. Laura moved with her husband to southernFukushima,and had three children, Roy, Mazie, and Wayne. Mazie, the middle child, was the only surviving daughter.

Mazie's father, Matabe, was acompulsive gamblerand alcoholic whopawnedeven his wife's possessions for gambling money.Treated "like a slave" by her in-laws,Mazie's mother finally left the abusive marriage in 1951. Laura later recounted her point of decision: "My brother sent money to buy a school uniform for my son. My husband took the money, went to town and never came back home. It was getting closer to the start of school, so I went to look for him. I found out he had ordered an overcoat for himself with the money. He didn't need an overcoat in the spring. That's when I made up my mind to leave."After telling her in-laws she was going to take her children to school in her hometown, Laura left the house, never to return. Selling her clothes to pay the rail fare, she and the children moved back to her parents' home. Laura said, "My husband never came around once; my parents were supportive and took all of us in. My mother gave us money. I guess it all boils down to love."

The Satō-Hirono family decided to return to Hawaii, but under the U.S. quota system Tari and Hiroshi, as Japanese nationals without American citizenship or professional status, could not go with Laura, an American citizen. Thus the family was separated, with three-year-old Wayne staying behind with his grandparents and Laura returning to Honolulu on her own with Mazie and Roy in March 1955. After two years of hard work, she brought her parents and youngest son to Hawaii in 1957."She determined that she had to get away [from her husband]...she wanted to put thousands of miles between them", Hirono said of her mother. "That took a lot of courage. I always tell my mom there is nothing I can do—hard as it is to be in politics...harder than what she did."

After first living with Mazie's uncle Akira, the family moved into arooming houseon Kewalo Street in Honolulu with one room, one table, three chairs and one bed. Laura recalled, "Mazie and Roy slept on the bed. I slept on the floor with afuton.The landlady was so nice. The rent was $35, but she charged us less because I didn't have a job. "Laura began working for theHawaii Hochias atypesetterand also three nights a week for a catering company. Mazie worked in the school cafeteria and had apaper route.Though money was tight and the family was forced to move often, Laura kept them together. Mazie recalled that she and her brother used to get a dime once or twice a week from their mother. "We both had baseballpiggy banks.My older brother spent all his dimes but I saved mine. But one day I came home and the dimes were gone. My mother had to use it to buy food. "

Hirono never saw her father again, and he has since died.Laura became a newspaperproofreaderin 1961 and retired from the Hawaii Newspaper Agency in 1986; Roy became aHawaiian Electricsupervisor. Wayne drowned in 1978, aged 26. Mazie's grandfather Hiroshi died in 1989, and her grandmother Tari died in 2000 at age 99.

Raised in Honolulu, Hirono became anaturalizedU.S. citizen in 1959, the year Hawaii became a state.She attended Kaʻahumanu Elementary andKoko HeadElementary Schools. She graduated fromKaimuki High School,which at the time had a predominantly Japanese American student body. Hirono then enrolled at theUniversity of Hawaii at Mānoa,graduatingPhi Beta Kappawith a B.A. inpsychologyin 1970.She later attendedGeorgetown University Law CenterinWashington, D.C.,where she obtained herjuris doctordegree in 1978. Hirono then returned to Honolulu, where she practiced law.

Hawaii House of Representatives (1981–1994)

Elections

In 1980, Hirono was elected to Hawaii's 12th House district in amulti-member districtwith Democratic State RepresentativeDavid Hagino.Hawaii eliminated multi-member districts, and after redistricting she ran for Hawaii's 20th House district and won.After redistricting again in 1984, she ran successfully for the newly redrawn 32nd House District.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.She won the general election and served only one term in the 22nd district before retiring in 1994 to run for statewide office.

Tenure

Hirono served in theHawaii House of Representativesfor 13 years, sponsoring 120 bills that became state law.

Committee assignments

From 1987 to 1992, she was Chair of the Consumer Protection and Commerce Committee.

Lieutenant governor (1994–2002)

Elections

1994

Hirono ran forlieutenant governor of Hawaiiand won the Democratic primary, defeating fellow State Representative Jackie Young 65%–26%.In the general election she defeated three other candidates: Danny Kaniela Kaleikini (Best Party), State RepresentativeFred Hemmings(Republican Party), and Jack Morse (GreenParty), 37%–31%–29%–4%.

1998

Hirono ran for reelection in 1998. She defeated Nancy Cook in the primary with 89% of the vote to Cook's 11%.In the general election, Hirono defeated Republican State Senator Stan Koki, 50%–49%, a margin of only 5,254 votes.

Tenure

The election of the Democratic ticket was historic with respect to both candidates.Ben Cayetanowas the firstFilipino Americanelected 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.

2002 gubernatorial election

Main article:2002 Hawaii gubernatorial election

Hirono originally planned to run formayor of Honoluluin a potential 2002 special election created by the vacancy of incumbent MayorJeremy Harris,who was planning to resign in order 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.

In the general election, Republican nominee andMaui MayorLinda Lingledefeated Hirono 52–47%, becoming Hawaii's first female governor.

U.S. House of Representatives (2007–2013)

Congresswoman Hirono during the 110th Congress

Elections

2006

Main article:2006 United States House of Representatives elections in Hawaii § District 2

On September 23, Hirono ran to representHawaii's 2nd congressional districtin the House of Representatives after incumbentEd Casechose 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.She won with a plurality of 22% of the vote. State SenatorColleen Hanabusafinished second with 21%, 845 votes short of Hirono.

In the general election Hirono defeatedRepublicanState SenatorBob Hogue,61%–39%.

2008

Main article:2008 United States House of Representatives elections in Hawaii § District 2

Hirono won reelection to a second term with 76% of the vote.

2010

Main article:2010 United States House of Representatives elections in Hawaii § District 2

Hirono won reelection to a third term with 72% of the vote.

Tenure

In 2008, the national preschool advocacy organization named Hirono "Pre-K Champion" for her efforts to pass pre-kindergarten legislation.

Hirono co-sponsored the Prevention First Act of 2007. The act aimed to increase public access tocontraceptionand government funding to support the use of contraception.It places an emphasis on informing and protecting women from unintended pregnancy. 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.

In July 2011, Hirono voted for the Access to Birth Control Act, which mandates that pharmacies provide birth control to customers without undue delay.The ABP Act also ensures that customers seeking birth control can obtain it without being submitted to unwanted harassment or breaches in patient confidentiality. 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.The endorsement helped Hirono in her 2012 senatorial race, contributing $129,714 to her campaign.

Committee assignments, 2012

• Committee on Education and the Workforce
  • Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education
  • Subcommittee on Workforce Protections
• Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
  • Subcommittee on Aviation
  • Subcommittee on Highways and Transit
  • Subcommittee on the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation
  • Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.

Caucus memberships, 2012

• Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus
• Congressional Bike Caucus
• Congressional Caucus for Women's Issues
• Congressional Lantos Human Rights Commission
• Congressional Labor and Working Families Caucus
• Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus
• Congressional National Parks Caucus
• Congressional Progressive Caucus
• Congressional Wildlife Refuge Caucus
• House Oceans Caucus
• House Rural Health Care Coalition
• International Conservation Caucus
• National Marine Sanctuary Caucus
• National Service Caucus
• Port Security Caucus
• Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Caucus
• Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition

U.S. Senate (2013–present)

Elections

2012

Main article:2012 United States Senate election in Hawaii

In 2011, incumbent U.S. SenatorDaniel Akakaannounced his retirement at the end of his term in 2013. Subsequently, on May 19, 2011, Hirono announced her candidacy for Akaka's seat.She won the Democratic primary election on August 11, 2012.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.She is the first female senator from Hawaii, as well as the first Asian-born immigrant to be elected to the U.S. Senate.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.

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.

2018

Main article:2018 United States Senate election in Hawaii

On November 6, 2018, Hirono was reelected with 71.2% of the vote, defeating Republican Ron Curtis.

2024

Main article:2024 United States Senate election in Hawaii

Hirono was elected to a third term in 2024.

Tenure

On December 12, 2012, the Senate Democratic Steering Committee announced that Hirono would serve on theSenate Judiciary Committee,giving her influence on matters ranging from approving nominations of federal judges to setting criminal-justice policy.

During theBrett Kavanaugh Supreme Court nominationhearings in September 2018, Hirono was an outspoken defender ofChristine Blasey Fordafter Ford accused Kavanaugh of sexual assault, telling men to "shut up and step up. Do the right thing for a change."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".

In the wake of theJanuary 6 United States Capitol attack,Hirono called for the resignation of SenatorsTed CruzandJosh Hawleyfor their opposition tocertifying the 2020 presidential election Electoral College count.She also called for theTwenty-fifth Amendment to the United States Constitutionto be invoked to remove Donald Trump from office.

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.

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.

Committee assignments

Hirono speaking at the "NoMuslim BanEver "rally outside theSupreme Court,April 2018

• Committee on Armed Services
  • Subcommittee on Personnel
  • Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support(Chair)
  • Subcommittee on Seapower
• Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
  • Subcommittee on Energy
  • Subcommittee on National Parks
  • Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining
• Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship
• Committee on the Judiciary
  • Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust and Consumer Rights
  • Subcommittee on Federal Courts, Oversight, Agency Action and Federal Rights
  • Subcommittee on Intellectual Property
  • Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology and the Law
• Committee on Veterans' Affairs

Select caucus memberships

• Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus,Executive Board Member
• Congressional NextGen 9-1-1 Caucus
• Congressional Study Group on Japan, Co-Chair
• Creative Rights Caucus, Co-Chair
• Senate Army Caucus
• Senate Climate Change Task Force
• Senate Impact Aid Coalition, Co-Chair
• Senate Law Enforcement Caucus
• Senate Oceans Caucus
• Expand Social Security Caucus

Political positions

Hirono at a Stop the Bans rally in 2019

According toOn the Issues,Hirono's voting history places her in the "left/liberal" camp.TheAmerican Conservative Uniongave her a 2% lifetime conservative rating in 2020.

Abortion

Hirono has a 100% rating fromReproductive Freedom for All(formerly NARAL Pro-Choice America).She has also been consistently endorsed byEMILY's List,an organization that endorses women running on pro-choice platforms.At aSenate Judiciary Committeehearing, 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".

Hirono called the June 2022overturning ofRoe v. Wade"a horrific day in America".She proclaimed, "This will go down as one of the worst decisions in the history of the Court."

Gun control

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.

Health care

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).MSNBCreporter Kyle Griffin filmed Hirono's speech and posted it on Twitter.

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 Gottliebrecognizing 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."

Hirono is a supporter ofMedicare for All.

Housing

In April 2019, Hirono was one of 41 senators to sign a bipartisan letter to a Senate subcommittee on housing praising theUnited States Department 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 wrote of their hope that the subcommittee would support continued funding for Section 4 in Fiscal Year 2020.

LGBTQIA+ rights

Hirono supports the right of LGBTQ+ Americans to enlist in the Armed Forces.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.

Foreign policy

In January 2024, Hirono voted for a resolution, proposed byBernie Sanders,to apply thehuman rightsprovisions of theForeign Assistance ActtoU.S. aid to Israel's military.The proposal was defeated, 72 to 11.

Telecommunications

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.

Personal life

In May 2017, Hirono was diagnosed with stage 4kidney cancer,which had spread to her seventh rib.The cancer was discovered in a chest X-ray in April before minor eye surgery.Hirono's right kidney was removed on May 17, 2017, with aCyberknifeprocedure to treat the rib lesion.She returned to the Senate on May 22, 2017.

As of 2018, according to OpenSecrets.org, Hirono's net worth was more than $4.3 million.

In 2021, Viking Press published Hirono's autobiography,Heart of Fire: An Immigrant Daughter's Story.Marie Clairelisted the book among its "25 Great Memoirs to Pre-Order Now".

Also in 2021, it was announced that Hirono would receive Japan'sOrder of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Starfor her "significant contributions in strengthening bilateral relations and promoting legislative exchanges between Japan and the United States".

Electoral history

Hawaii gubernatorial election, 2002

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
	RepublicangainfromDemocratic

Hawaii's 2nd congressional district election, 2006

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Mazie Hirono	106,906	61.04%
	Republican	Bob Hogue	68,244	38.96%
Total votes			175,150	100.00%
	Democratichold

Hawaii's 2nd congressional district election, 2008

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

Hawaii's 2nd congressional district election, 2010

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

Democratic primary results

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%

United States Senate election in Hawaii, 2012

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

Democratic primary results, Hawaii 2018

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Mazie Hirono (incumbent)	201,679	100%
Total votes			201,679	100%

United States Senate election in Hawaii, 2018

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

See also

• List of Asian Americans and Pacific Islands Americans in the United States Congress
• List of female lieutenant governors in the United States
• List of minority governors and lieutenant governors in the United States
• List of United States senators born outside the United States
• Women in the United States House of Representatives
• Women in the United States Senate

Further reading

• Totenberg, Nina (June 7, 2018)."The Quiet Rage Of Mazie Hirono".Morning Edition.NPR.RetrievedNovember 14,2018.
• Boylan, Dan (March 21, 2007)."The Immigrant Congresswoman".MidWeek.Archived fromthe originalon August 3, 2020.RetrievedNovember 14,2018.

External links

• Senator Mazie Hironoofficial U.S. Senate website
• Mazie for Hawaiicampaign website
• AppearancesonC-SPAN

• Biographyat theBiographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Financial information (federal office)at theFederal Election Commission
• Legislation sponsoredat theLibrary of Congress
• ProfileatVote Smart