Incumbent
Who will win the next Senate Democratic Leader election?
$105.1K
DEC 31, 2028
Candidate standings
Live market pricing for the leading candidates in this election.
Overview
Current roleU.S. Senator
PartyDemocratic
Political ideologyProgressive Democrat
Age53 years old (Oct 20, 1972)
GenderMale
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LocationHawaii
BackgroundPolitician
EducationPomona College (B.A.)
Notable personal detailsBrian Emanuel Schatz is the senior United States Senator from Hawaii, first appointed in December 2012 and subsequently elected to the seat. He previously served as Hawaii’s lieutenant governor and as a member of the Hawaii House of Representatives. He has also worked in the nonprofit sector, including as chief executive officer of Helping Hands Hawaii. He earned a B.A. from Pomona College and is married to architect Linda Kwok Schatz; they have two children.
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Positions
Economy & Taxes
Supports higher taxes on wealthy individuals and financial firms and opposes large tax cuts for corporations and the ultra‑wealthy; has introduced legislation to tax Wall Street transactions to raise substantial federal revenue for reinvestment. Argues Republican tax proposals that cut taxes for billionaires would require deep cuts to Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and other programs.
Healthcare
Brian Schatz supports strengthening and expanding the Affordable Care Act and has sponsored legislation to create a Medicaid-based public option that would allow residents to buy into state Medicaid plans. He has introduced and reintroduced the State Public Option Act and sponsored related bills to expand coverage and protect Medicare/Medicaid access for seniors. His actions emphasize expanding government-supported coverage rather than advocating full single-payer repeal or privatization.
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Immigration & Border
Supports expanded legal protections for immigrants including keeping families together, protections for Dreamers/DACA beneficiaries, and measures that create pathways to legal status; opposes policies that separate families or use broad deportation practices. Has backed legislation and executive actions aimed at humanitarian relief and a path to citizenship while criticizing harsh enforcement practices.
Abortion & Reproductive Rights
Supports protecting and restoring reproductive rights, including access to abortion, medication abortion, contraception, and IVF; advocates for federal protections to codify abortion rights and opposes restrictive state and court actions that limit access. Has spoken on the Senate floor and voted for legislation to protect contraception and IVF access and urged restoring Roe-era protections.
Climate & Energy
Brian Schatz has led Senate climate efforts, chaired the Senate Democrats’ Special Committee on the Climate Crisis, and supported large federal investments to cut emissions and expand clean energy and climate resilience funding. He voted for and helped implement the Inflation Reduction Act’s major climate and clean-energy provisions and has authored provisions directing climate resilience funding to Native Hawaiian and Tribal communities.
Public Safety & Guns
Supports significant federal gun safety measures including an updated federal assault weapons ban, expanded background-check policies, and limits on militarized police equipment; has sponsored and cosponsored related legislation and backed bipartisan gun-safety packages.
News
Brian Schatz is mentioned amid Senate Democrats’ push for a bill to break up major meatpacking companies, aimed at reducing market concentration in beef, pork, and poultry and addressing rising grocery costs. Separately, Senate Democrats are criticizing the Justice Department after a grand jury declined to indict six Democratic lawmakers over comments encouraging military members to resist “illegal orders,” raising First Amendment concerns.
Endorsements
Endorsers of Brian Schatz for Who will win the next Senate Democratic Leader election?
Fundraising
Latest report: Cycle 20262024
2026
LatestCycle 2024
Cycle 2026
Source: FEC
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