Mazie Hirono

Mazie Hirono
Born	Mazie Keiko Hirono 3 11, 1947
Birthplace	Koori, Fukushima, Japan
Nationality	American
Occupation	Lawyer, politician
Title	United States Senator from Hawaii
Known for	First Asian-American woman elected to the U.S. Senate; first U.S. senator born in Japan; first Buddhist U.S. senator
Education	Georgetown University (JD)
Website	[Official Senate website Official site]

Mazie Keiko Hirono (born November 3, 1947) is an American lawyer and politician who has served as the junior United States senator from Hawaii since January 3, 2013. A member of the Democratic Party, Hirono has built a political career spanning more than four decades in Hawaii, beginning with her election to the Hawaii House of Representatives in 1980 and continuing through her service as Hawaii's tenth lieutenant governor (1994–2002), her tenure as the U.S. representative for Hawaii's 2nd congressional district (2007–2013), and her election to the Senate. She holds the distinction of being the first elected female senator from Hawaii, the first Asian-American woman elected to the Senate, the first U.S. senator born in Japan, and the first Buddhist member of the United States Senate. Following the retirement of Senator Daniel Akaka in 2013, Hirono became the dean of Hawaii's congressional delegation. She was reelected to the Senate in 2018 and won a third term in 2024, defeating Republican nominee Bob McDermott. As a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and other key committees, Hirono has focused on issues affecting Hawaii, the Indo-Pacific region, immigration, and civil rights.

Early Life

Mazie Keiko Hirono was born on November 3, 1947, in Koori, a rural area in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. Her Japanese name is 広野 慶子 (Hirono Keiko). The details of her early childhood in Japan shaped much of her later political identity as an immigrant to the United States. Hirono's mother brought her and her brother to Hawaii when Hirono was a child, seeking a better life away from difficult family circumstances in Japan. The family settled in Honolulu, where Hirono grew up in modest conditions.

Hirono's immigrant background became a defining element of her public life and political narrative. As a child arriving in Hawaii with limited English skills and few resources, her experiences informed her later advocacy on immigration policy and her identification with working families and immigrant communities. Hawaii, with its diverse population and deep connections to Asian and Pacific Island cultures, provided a unique environment in which Hirono came of age and eventually entered public life.

Growing up in Honolulu, Hirono attended local public schools. Her early years in Hawaii were marked by the challenges common to immigrant families adjusting to a new country, including language barriers and economic hardship. These formative experiences would later be cited frequently in her political career as she championed policies related to education, healthcare, and immigrant rights.

Education

Hirono pursued her undergraduate education at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. She subsequently attended Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C., where she earned her Juris Doctor degree. Her legal education at Georgetown provided the foundation for her career in law and public service. After completing her legal studies, Hirono returned to Hawaii, where she practiced law and became increasingly involved in Democratic politics and community affairs, setting the stage for her entry into elected office.

Career

Hawaii House of Representatives (1981–1994)

Hirono's political career began with her election to the Hawaii House of Representatives in 1980. She took office on January 3, 1981, and served in the state legislature for nearly fourteen years, representing multiple districts over the course of her tenure. She initially represented the 12th district (1981–1983), then the 20th district (1983–1985), the 32nd district (1985–1993), and finally the 22nd district (1993–1994).

During her time in the Hawaii House, Hirono established herself as a consistent presence in the state's Democratic political establishment. The redistricting changes that led to her representation of different districts reflected the evolving political map of Hawaii during this period. Her extended service in the state legislature gave her deep experience in state policy matters and built the political relationships that would support her subsequent campaigns for higher office.

Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii (1994–2002)

In 1994, Hirono was elected as the tenth Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii, serving alongside Governor Ben Cayetano. She took office on December 2, 1994, succeeding Cayetano, who had himself served as lieutenant governor before winning the governorship. Hirono served two terms as lieutenant governor, remaining in the post until December 2, 2002, when she was succeeded by Duke Aiona.

As lieutenant governor, Hirono held the second-highest executive office in the state and was involved in a range of policy and administrative matters. Her eight years in the position gave her statewide visibility and executive experience that she would later draw upon in her campaigns for governor and for Congress.

2002 Gubernatorial Campaign

In 2002, Hirono sought the Democratic nomination for Governor of Hawaii. She won the Democratic primary election, emerging as the party's nominee. However, in the general election, Hirono lost to Republican Linda Lingle in what was a significant political setback. Lingle became the first Republican governor of Hawaii in forty years. The defeat marked a rare instance of a Republican winning a statewide race in the heavily Democratic state, and it temporarily sidelined Hirono's advancement to higher office.

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

After her gubernatorial loss, Hirono returned to the political arena by running for the U.S. House of Representatives. In 2006, she won election to represent Hawaii's 2nd congressional district, succeeding Ed Case, who had vacated the seat to run for the U.S. Senate. She took office on January 3, 2007. Her campaign received support from EMILY's List, the national organization dedicated to electing pro-choice Democratic women to office.

Hawaii's 2nd congressional district encompasses the entirety of the state outside urban Honolulu, including the so-called "neighbor islands" — Maui, the Big Island, Kauai, Molokai, Lanai, and Niihau — as well as rural parts of Oahu. The district presented a diverse constituency with interests ranging from military affairs and tourism to agriculture and environmental conservation.

Hirono served three terms in the U.S. House, from 2007 to 2013. During this period, she was the third woman to be elected to Congress from Hawaii, following Patsy Mink and Pat Saiki. She was succeeded in the House by Tulsi Gabbard upon her elevation to the Senate.

U.S. Senate (2013–present)

2012 Senate Election

In May 2011, Hirono announced her candidacy for the U.S. Senate seat that would be vacated by the retiring Senator Daniel Akaka. Akaka, who had served in the Senate since 1990, announced he would not seek reelection, creating an open seat in Hawaii. Hirono won the Democratic primary and faced her familiar rival, former Governor Linda Lingle, in the general election.

The 2012 general election proved far more favorable for Hirono than her 2002 gubernatorial contest against Lingle. Hirono defeated Lingle in a decisive victory, winning 63 percent of the vote to Lingle's 37 percent. She was sworn in on January 3, 2013, by Vice President Joe Biden. With her swearing-in, Hirono became the first elected female senator from Hawaii, the first Asian-American woman elected to the U.S. Senate, the first senator born in Japan, and the first Buddhist senator in American history, though she has described herself as a non-practicing Buddhist. She is often cited alongside Representative Hank Johnson of Georgia as the first Buddhists to serve in Congress.

Senate Tenure

From 2013 until 2017, Hirono was the only person of Asian ancestry serving in the U.S. Senate. That changed with the swearing-in of Senators Tammy Duckworth of Illinois and Kamala Harris of California in January 2017. Hirono has served alongside Hawaii's senior senator, Brian Schatz, since Schatz was appointed in December 2012 following the death of Senator Daniel Inouye.

Hirono serves as a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, a position of particular importance given Hawaii's significant military presence, which includes Pearl Harbor, Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam, and numerous other installations across the islands. In December 2025, the Senate passed the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2026, which contained key provisions led by Hirono. The legislation included over $1.1 billion for infrastructure in Hawaii and $10 billion for projects and capabilities in the Indo-Pacific region.

In her role on the Armed Services Committee, Hirono has addressed issues related to military readiness and women in the armed forces. In 2026, she questioned senior enlisted military leaders during a committee hearing, during which all of the military's senior enlisted leaders confirmed that there was no evidence that women serving in combat roles lower standards or reduce readiness.

Hirono has also been active on trade and economic policy. In 2026, she issued a statement following a Supreme Court decision striking down global tariffs imposed by the Trump administration, highlighting the impact of the tariffs on small businesses and working families in Hawaii.

Beyond defense and trade issues, Hirono has engaged in oversight of media and corporate matters. In 2026, she joined Senators Cory Booker, Chuck Schumer, Dick Durbin, Amy Klobuchar, Elizabeth Warren, Richard Blumenthal, and Peter Welch in demanding that Paramount CEO and Chairman David Ellison preserve all records related to a proposed Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery transaction.

Hirono has also focused on education and the impact of federal policies on Hawaii's schools and communities. In 2025, she visited schools on Oahu and held an education roundtable to discuss the effects of federal funding decisions and administration policies on students, advocates, and local businesses.

In September 2025, Hirono and colleagues introduced a bill to disinter ineligible veterans from national cemeteries. This legislation followed Hirono's earlier efforts, alongside Representatives Jill Tokuda and Ed Case, to urge the Department of Veterans Affairs to remove a former psychiatrist from Punchbowl Cemetery (the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific).

2018 and 2024 Reelections

Hirono was reelected to the Senate in 2018, continuing her service as Hawaii's junior senator. In 2024, she won a third term, defeating Republican nominee Bob McDermott. Her successive electoral victories reflect the strongly Democratic political orientation of Hawaii and her established position within the state's political landscape.

Personal Life

Hirono resides in Honolulu, Hawaii. She identifies as Buddhist, though she has described herself as a non-practicing Buddhist. Her status as the first Buddhist member of the U.S. Senate has been noted as a milestone in American religious diversity in government. She is often mentioned alongside Representative Hank Johnson as among the first Buddhists to serve in the United States Congress.

Hirono's personal story as an immigrant from Japan to Hawaii has been a significant element of her public identity. Having been born in Koori, Fukushima, Japan, and having moved to Hawaii as a child, she is the first U.S. senator to have been born in Japan. Her immigrant background has informed her positions on immigration policy and her advocacy for immigrant communities throughout her career.

Recognition

Hirono holds several historical distinctions in American political history. She is the first elected female senator from Hawaii, the first Asian-American woman elected to the United States Senate, the first U.S. senator born in Japan, and the first Buddhist senator. She is the third woman elected to Congress from Hawaii, after Patsy Mink and Pat Saiki.

Her election to the Senate in 2012 was recognized as a landmark for Asian-American representation in American government. From 2013 until 2017, she was the sole senator of Asian ancestry in the U.S. Senate, a period that ended with the election of Senators Tammy Duckworth and Kamala Harris. Her role as dean of Hawaii's congressional delegation, a position she has held since 2013 following Daniel Akaka's retirement, underscores her seniority and standing within the state's political structure.

Hirono's work on the Senate Armed Services Committee, particularly her advocacy for military infrastructure and Indo-Pacific security, has been recognized through the inclusion of her provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act, including over $1.1 billion for infrastructure in Hawaii secured in the fiscal year 2026 NDAA.

Legacy

Hirono's career represents a series of firsts that have expanded the boundaries of representation in American government. As the first Asian-American woman in the U.S. Senate, the first senator born in Japan, and the first Buddhist senator, her elections have been cited as milestones in the diversification of Congress. Her path from immigrant child to senior U.S. senator embodies a trajectory that has resonated with immigrant communities and Asian Americans across the country.

Her lengthy career in Hawaii politics — spanning the state House of Representatives, the lieutenant governorship, the U.S. House of Representatives, and the U.S. Senate — represents one of the most sustained records of public service in the state's history. Having held elected office continuously from 1981 to the present, with only a brief interruption between her 2002 gubernatorial loss and her 2006 congressional election, Hirono has been a fixture of Hawaii's Democratic political establishment for over four decades.

Hirono's tenure on the Senate Armed Services Committee has positioned her as an advocate for Hawaii's military communities and for security interests in the Indo-Pacific, reflecting the strategic importance of the islands to U.S. defense policy. Her legislative work securing funding for Hawaii infrastructure and Indo-Pacific capabilities has had tangible impacts on the state's military installations and broader regional security posture.

As a member of the Senate, Hirono has participated in significant debates on immigration, healthcare, judicial confirmations, trade policy, and civil rights, contributing to the legislative record of the Democratic caucus during a period of considerable political polarization. Her continued reelection — including her third Senate term secured in 2024 — suggests an enduring political standing in her home state.