Dean Heller facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dean Heller
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Official portrait, 2015
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| United States Senator from Nevada |
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| In office May 9, 2011 – January 3, 2019 |
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| Preceded by | John Ensign |
| Succeeded by | Jacky Rosen |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Nevada's 2nd district |
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| In office January 3, 2007 – May 9, 2011 |
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| Preceded by | Jim Gibbons |
| Succeeded by | Mark Amodei |
| 15th Secretary of State of Nevada | |
| In office January 3, 1995 – January 3, 2007 |
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| Governor | Bob Miller Kenny Guinn Jim Gibbons |
| Preceded by | Cheryl Lau |
| Succeeded by | Ross Miller |
| Member of the Nevada Assembly from the 40th district |
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| In office November 7, 1990 – November 9, 1994 |
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| Preceded by | Ernie Adler |
| Succeeded by | Thomas Fettic |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Dean Arthur Heller
May 10, 1960 Castro Valley, California, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Lynne Brombach |
| Children | 4 |
| Education | University of Southern California (BBA) |
Dean Arthur Heller (born May 10, 1960) is an American businessman and politician. He served as a United States senator for the state of Nevada from 2011 to 2019. He is a member of the Republican Party.
Before becoming a senator, Heller was the Secretary of State of Nevada from 1995 to 2007. He also served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2007 to 2011. In 2018, he ran for a second term in the Senate but lost to Jacky Rosen. He later ran for governor of Nevada in 2022 but was not successful.
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Early Life and Schooling
Dean Heller was born in Castro Valley, California. His father, Jack Heller, was a mechanic and stock car driver. When Dean was a baby, his family moved to Carson City, Nevada. He has five brothers and sisters.
He graduated from Carson High School in 1978. After high school, he went to the University of Southern California. He studied business and earned his degree in 1985.
Starting a Career in Politics
Heller's first job in politics was in the Nevada Assembly, which is part of Nevada's state government. He served there from 1990 to 1994. At the same time, he worked as a consultant for Bank of America.
In 1994, Heller was elected as the Secretary of State of Nevada. This job involves overseeing elections in the state. He was reelected twice and served until 2007. As Secretary of State, he helped make Nevada the first state to have a paper record for electronic voting machines. This made the voting process more secure.
Serving in the U.S. Congress
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In 2006, Heller was elected to the United States House of Representatives. The House is one of the two parts of the U.S. Congress, which makes laws for the whole country. He represented Nevada's 2nd district. He was reelected in 2008 and 2010.
In 2011, Nevada's U.S. Senator John Ensign resigned. The governor of Nevada, Brian Sandoval, chose Heller to take his place in the United States Senate. The Senate is the other part of Congress. Heller officially became a senator on May 9, 2011.
He won a full six-year term in the 2012 election. However, in 2018, he lost his reelection campaign to Jacky Rosen, a member of the Democratic Party.
Key Political Views
As a Republican, Heller was known for sometimes working with Democrats. An organization called The Lugar Center ranked him as one of the most bipartisan (willing to work with the other party) senators in 2017.
Healthcare
Heller voted against the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (often called Obamacare) in 2010. He later voted to repeal, or cancel, the law.
In 2017, he first opposed a Republican plan to replace Obamacare. He said he could not support a bill that would cause many people in Nevada to lose their health insurance. Later, he voted in favor of a different, smaller repeal plan, but it did not pass the Senate.
The Economy
Heller has generally supported policies to lower taxes and reduce government spending. He voted against the 2008 government plan to give money to banks during the financial crisis. He also voted against raising the federal minimum wage, saying that each state should decide its own minimum wage.
Gun Policy
The NRA, a group that supports gun rights, endorsed Heller. He voted against several bills that would have created stricter gun laws. For example, he voted against a ban on certain types of weapons and against expanding background checks for online gun sales.
Immigration
Heller's views on immigration have changed over time. In 2013, he supported a bill that would have created a path for many undocumented immigrants to become citizens.
By 2018, he supported President Donald Trump's stricter immigration plan. This plan focused more on border security and offered a path to citizenship for a smaller group of immigrants.
Environment
Heller has supported using America's own oil, gas, and coal resources. He has also supported tax benefits for renewable energy, like solar and wind power.
He strongly opposed the plan to store nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain in Nevada. He argued that it would be a risk to the health and safety of people in the state.
Relationship with President Trump
Heller's relationship with President Donald Trump was complicated. During the 2016 election, Heller said he was "vehemently opposed" to Trump.
However, after Trump became president, Heller began to work more closely with him. In 2018, Trump even endorsed Heller for his Senate reelection campaign. Heller supported many of Trump's policies, including his tax cuts and his choice for the Supreme Court.
Later Career
In 2021, Heller announced he was running for governor of Nevada in the 2022 election. He hoped to challenge the current Democratic governor, Steve Sisolak.
Heller ran in the Republican primary election, where voters choose their party's candidate. He lost the primary to Joe Lombardo, who went on to win the main election and become governor.
Personal Life
Heller is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He and his wife, Lynne, have four children and two grandchildren.
He has been involved in his community, helping to start a Boys and Girls Club in Western Nevada. He is also an advisory board member for a program that connects seniors with children who need mentors.
Images for kids
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Heller meeting with Brett Kavanaugh, July 2018
See also
In Spanish: Dean Heller para niños
