Carrying with her so many firsts, Mazie Hirono, a Democrat from Hawaii, was sworn in Thursday as a U.S. Senator.
Her impressive list of firsts include:
- First Asian-American woman in the U.S. Senate.
- First female senator from Hawaii.
- First Buddhist senator
Outwardly, at least, breaking so many glass-ceiling was no big deal to her.
"Well, there need to be many more of us in here," she said when asked how she felt. "I am going to make sure that happens."
Sen. Pat Murray, another Democrat from Washington, escorted Hirono to her swearing-in ceremony. She stood in place of the late Sen. Daniel Inouye, who had been one of Hirono's mentors.
"She is a good friend and mentor," Hirono said of Murray. "She called me so many times during my campaign."
According to the Huffington Post, Hirono's husband, Leighton Kim Oshima, waited for her at the door of the Senate chamber, where they honored an old Hawaiian tradition.
They placed leis around each others necks in the hallway, and he hugged her tightly and congratulated her on her accomplishments.
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