Brian Emanuel Schatz, born on October 20, 1972, is an accomplished educator and politician who has been serving as Hawaii's senior United States senator since 2012. A prominent figure in the Democratic Party, Schatz began his political career in the Hawaii House of Representatives, where he represented the 25th legislative district from 1998 until 2006. He later held the position of chairman for the Democratic Party of Hawaii from 2008 to 2010 and was elected as the 12th lieutenant governor of Hawaii, serving from 2010 to 2012.
Before entering statewide politics, Schatz was the chief executive officer of Helping Hands Hawaii, a nonprofit organization dedicated to social services on Oahu. He stepped down from this role to become the running mate of Governor Neil Abercrombie in the 2010 gubernatorial election. Following the passing of Senator Daniel Inouye, Schatz was appointed to the U.S. Senate on December 26, 2012, making him the youngest senator in the 112th Congress.
Schatz successfully won the special election in 2014 to complete Inouye's term with nearly 70% of the votes. He has since been re-elected, securing 73.6% of the vote in 2016 and 71.2% in 2022, solidifying his influence and commitment to the people of Hawaii during his tenure in the Senate.
