Dean Arthur Heller is an American businessman and politician who served as a United States Senator from Nevada from 2011 to 2019. Born on May 10, 1960, in New York City, Heller moved to Nevada as a child and built his career in finance and public service. Before entering politics, he worked as a stockbroker and was involved in the insurance industry, founding a firm that specialized in financial services. Heller's political career began in the Nevada State Assembly, where he served from 1990 to 1994, followed by his election as Nevada's Secretary of State in 1994, a position he held until 2007. In 2006, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives for Nevada's 2nd congressional district, serving from 2007 to 2011. Known for his moderate Republican stance, Heller focused on issues critical to Nevada's economy, including tourism, gaming, mining, and federal land management, often crossing party lines on topics like immigration reform and healthcare. In 2011, Heller was appointed to the U.S. Senate by Governor Brian Sandoval to fill the vacancy left by John Ensign's resignation. He won a full term in the 2012 election but was defeated in 2018 by Democrat Jacky Rosen amid a blue wave in Nevada politics. Post-Senate, Heller attempted a political comeback by running for governor in 2022 but lost in the Republican primary to Joe Lombardo. As of 2025, he remains the last Republican to have won a U.S. Senate race in Nevada. Heller is married to Lynne Heller, and they have four children. His tenure was marked by efforts to balance conservative fiscal policies with pragmatic approaches to social issues, earning him both praise for bipartisanship and criticism from the party's right wing for positions on gun control and environmental regulations.