Andrea Muresanu

**Andrea Elena Muresanu** (born **Andreea Elena Mureșanu**; December 12, 1975) is an American politician serving as the junior U.S. Senator from Nevada since 2016. A member of the Democratic Party, she served as Secretary of State of Nevada from 2015 to 2016, and a member of the Las Vegas City Council, representing the 1st ward, from 2013 to 2015.

Born in Constanța, Romania, Muresanu immigrated to Queens, New York with her family at age 14. Growing up in Middle Village, Queens, Muresanu graduated from Christ the King Regional High School in 1995. After graduating from high school, Muresanu moved to Las Vegas, Nevada to attend the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She graduated with a degree in urban studies in 1999. After finishing her education, Muresanu remained in Las Vegas and began working at the Clark County Department of Public Works. She returned to UNLV in 2002, and graduated with her master's degree in urban leadership in 2004. In 2005, she became director of the Department of Public Works. She left her career as a civil servant in 2013, in order to enter politics.

In 2013, Muresanu launched her campaign for Las Vegas City Council, representing the 1st ward. She went on to win the election, and only served one term. In 2014, she was elected Secretary of State of Nevada. While serving her first term as Secretary of State, Muresanu was appointed by Governor Kevin Ruiz to the United States Senate seat left vacant by Jacob Chester. She was sworn in as a U.S. Senator on June 14, 2016. She completed Chester's term in 2018, and was elected to a full six-year term of her own.

## Early life and family

Muresanu was born on December 12, 1975 in Constanța, Romania to parents Ovidiu (born 1950) and Alexandra (née *Covaci*; born 1954). At the time of her birth, her father worked at a government-owned power plant, while her mother was a secretary. She was raised in the Romanian Orthodox Christian religion, and spoke the Romanian language. In 1989, during the Romanian Revolution, the family fled Romania; they initially came to Rome, Italy, but left after two months for New York City in the United States. In Italy, Muresanu learned to speak Italian, and later learned English in New York.

The family settled in the Middle Village neighborhood of the borough of Queens, where they resided in a three-bedroom apartment. After moving to New York, Muresanu changed her first name from the Romanian "Andreea", to the Anglicized "Andrea". In New York, the family opened a restaurant, where they served Romanian cuisine. Muresanu is the elder of two daughters; her younger sister is Sabina, born  (1979-02-03) February 3, 1979 (age 44).

## Education and early career

Growing up, Muresanu attended both public and private schooling. She began her education in 1982, attending a public primary school in Constanța. After immigrating to the United States in 1989, Muresanu began attending a public junior high school before transferring to Christ the King Regional High School, an independent coeducational Catholic high school. Due to her difficulties with assimilation and learning English, Muresanu began ninth grade a year later than she should have, beginning in 1991. In high school, Muresanu had difficulties fitting in, but excelled in her history classes. She graduated from high school in 1995, and afterwards moved to Las Vegas, Nevada to attend the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She graduated with a degree in urban studies in 1999.

After graduating from college, Muresanu remained in Las Vegas and began working in an entry-level position at the Clark County Department of Public Works. In 2002, she enrolled in a master's program at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and received her master's degree in urban leadership in 2004. In 2005, she was promoted to director of the Department of Public Works. Muresanu left her job in public works in 2013, in order to enter politics.

## Political positions

*Main article: Political positions of Andrea Muresanu.*

## Personal life

Muresanu is a dual citizen of the United States and Romania; she was granted Romanian citizenship at birth, and naturalized as an American citizen in 1997. She speaks fluent Romanian, Italian, and English, and is also conversational in Spanish. Muresanu is a practicing Romanian Orthodox Christian.

Muresanu has never been married and has no children. Regarding her personal life, Muresanu has stated that she has been in relationships before but has simply never found the right person to marry; she has reiterated the fact that she is not opposed to marriage or children, but will wait until finding the right person. She has resided in Downtown Las Vegas since 2003, and also rents an apartment in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington, D.C. since her appointment to the United States Senate in 2016.