Summary

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About

Source: Government page

Background
Congresswoman Kaptur, a native Toledoan, lives in the same modest house where she grew up.

She is a Polish-American with humble, working class roots. Her family operated a small grocery store and her mother later served on the original organizing committee of a trade union at the Champion Spark Plug factory in Toledo.

After graduating from St. Ursula Academy, she became the first member of her family to attend college, earning a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Wisconsin (1968) and later a master’s degree in urban planning from the University of Michigan.

After working for 15 years as a city and regional planner, primarily in Toledo and Chicago, she accepted an appointment as a domestic policy advisor to President Jimmy Carter. During his Administration, she helped maneuver 17 housing and neighborhood revitalization bills through Congress.

In Congress
In 1981, while pursuing a doctorate in urban planning and development finance at MIT, she was recruited by the Lucas County Democratic Party to run for Congress against a first-term Republican. Although she was outspent by a 3-to-1 margin, Kaptur parlayed a strong economic message during the 1982 recession to stage a nationally-recognized upset.

In Washington, Kaptur fought vigorously to win a seat on the House Appropriations Committee. Today she serves as the first woman to Chair the influential House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, which she considers an honor given the Ninth District stretches much of the southern Lake Erie coastline.

Kaptur also serves as a senior member of the powerful House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense. She uses this assignment to advocate for a number of military assets throughout northern Ohio, such as the Toledo Air National Guard’s 180th Fighter Wing unit in Toledo, and Camp Perry, a National Guard training facility located near Port Clinton, which also hosts the Ohio Air National Guard’s 200th Red Horse Squadron, and the significant number of defense industrial base manufacturers throughout the district.

Congresswoman also serves on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and Science, which has jurisdiction over the Department of Commerce, Department of Justice, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and the National Science Foundation.

Personal

Full Name: Marcia ‘Marcy’ Carolyn Kaptur

Gender: Female

Family: Single

Birth Date: 06/17/1946

Birth Place: Toledo, OH

Home City: Toledo, OH

Religion: Roman Catholic

Source: Vote Smart

Education

Attended, Post-Graduate Studies in Urban Planning, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1981

Attended, University of Manchester, England, 1974

MA, Urban Planning, University of Michigan, 1974

BA, History, University of Wisconsin, 1968

Political Experience

Representative, United States House of Representatives, Ohio, District 9, 1983-present

Democratic Regional Whip, United States House of Representatives

Candidate, United States House of Representatives, Ohio, District 9, 2022

Professional Experience

Assistant Director, Urban Affairs, The White House, 1977-1979

Director of Planning, National Center for Urban Ethnic Affairs, 1975-1977

Urban Planner, Plan Commissions, Toledo-Lucas County, 1969-1975

Offices

Washington D.C Office
2186 Rayburn Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-4146
Fax: (202) 225-7711

Cleveland Office
17021 Lorain
Cleveland, OH 44111
Phone: (216) 767-5933
Fax: (419) 255-9623

Lorain Office
200 West Erie
Room 310
Lorain, OH 44052
Phone: (440) 288-1500
Fax: (419) 255-9623

Toledo Office
One Maritime Plaza
Room 600
Toledo, OH 43604
Phone: (419) 259-7500
Fax: (419) 255-9623

Contact

Email: Government

Web Links

Politics

Source: none

Election Results

To learn more, go to this wikipedia section in this post.

Finances

Source: Vote Smart

Committees

Congresswoman Kaptur is a relentless advocate for Northwest Ohio. Her legislative priorities are vast, but top priorities include efforts to stop poorly-negotiated trade agreements, to advocate for increased US-based manufacturing, to protect and improve economic conditions of all Americans including retirement security through earned pensions and Social Security benefits, and to safeguard the natural resource that is Lake Erie. She currently serves on the House Appropriations Committee, which has authority over federal discretionary spending and determines spending levels for the entire federal government through a series of 12 separate annual appropriations bills.
Today she serves as the first woman to serve as Ranking Member on the influential House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, which she considers an honor given the Ninth District stretches much of the southern Lake Erie coastline. In this position, she focuses on efforts to protect the natural resource of Lake Erie and has advocated for American energy independence through increased funding for renewable energy programs and research, such as wind and solar.

Congresswoman Kaptur also serves on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, which has jurisdiction over the Department of Defense, Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and the Central Intelligence Agency. She uses this assignment to advocate for a number of military assets throughout northern Ohio, such as the Toledo Air National Guard’s 180th Fighter Wing unit in Toledo, and Camp Perry a National Guard training facility located near Port Clinton, which also hosts the Ohio Air National Guard’s 200th Red Horse Squadron, and the significant number of defense industrial base manufacturers throughout the district.

Congresswoman Kaptur also serves on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies, which has jurisdiction over the Department of the Agriculture (USDA), the USDA Rural Development Agencies, and the United States Food and Drug Administration.

Rep. Kaptur has previously served on the Committees on Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs, Budget, Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, Oversight and Government Reform, and the Select Committee on Economic Disparity and Fairness in Growth.
Rep. Kaptur is currently the longest-serving woman in the history of Congress and is the second-longest serving current Member on the House Appropriations Committee.

Caucuses 

  • Congressional Arts Caucus
  • Congressional Ukrainian Caucus (co-chair)
  • Congressional Caucus on Poland
  • Congressional Caucus on Central and Eastern Europe
  • Congressional Caucus on Hungary
  • Congressional United Kingdom Caucus
  • House Baltic Caucus
  • Climate Solutions Caucu
  • Blue Collar Caucus

New Legislation

Issues

Source: Campaign page

Jobs & the Economy

Strengthening our economy is Marcy Kaptur’s top priority, and has been since she was first elected. Over several decades, unfair trade agreements, Wall Street recklessness, and federal policies favoring large corporations and the wealthy have decimated America’s middle-class and taken a toll on the very fabric of our nation. It’s time to put people first again. In many parts of America, we know that people are still hurting after the Great Recession and a pandemic that has displaced workers. The costs of healthcare, prescription drugs, and stagnant wages present challenges for working Americans every day. Both political parties must come together to create jobs that Ohioans can live and raise a family on.

Great Lakes

The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative brings vital funding to protect our most precious natural resources, but much work remains to be done. When President Trump attempted to zero out funding to the Initiative, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur worked in a bipartisan manner to restore it – and the promise of clean, fresh water for our region. The fight to stop harmful algal blooms and invasive species could not be more important to our region. Whether it’s the water we drink from, our fishing and tourism industries, or the simple importance of preserving the beauty of our coast, the stakes of a healthy Lake Erie are clear.

Energy & Infrastructure

As the chair of the Energy and Water subcommittee on Appropriations, Congresswoman Kaptur works every day to bring green jobs to Northern Ohio. Whether it’s solar, wind, or biofuels, our region can lead us into a 21st century energy future that fosters American energy independence and brings down emissions to combat climate change. Additionally, we need a new mindset that recognizes that our homes are an important part of our nation’s infrastructure. Congresswoman Kaptur is a champion of weatherization programs that increase home energy efficiency and bring down costs for citizens who need it most. President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Act delivers on this key priority, a success that will bring lower energy costs and increase property values in our region. A one-size-fits all approach to housing will not work – some communities need new housing to bring down the cost of homeownership. Others have housing stock that must be rehabilitated after years of neglect following the 2008 financial crisis. Congresswoman Kaptur is a leader in efforts to increase the supply of affordable housing, while reducing the dangers of lead in legacy homes. She has introduced the Restoring Communities Left Behind Act to invest in both urban and rural communities that have seen disinvestment over the years.

Agriculture & Nutrition

Congresswoman Kaptur has been passionate about agriculture her entire life. She knows the value of rich soil, and values the knowledge and wisdom of self-sustaining communities. This passion has manifested itself in a commitment to policies that support small farmers, lead to environmental best practices, and create economic opportunities in a changing world. The road to a healthy Lake Erie is not paved with the punishment of family farmers struggling to get by. Solutions to help families maintain farming traditions, as well as prevent the consolidation of farms and spread of absentee owners who aren’t invested in our communities must be found through consensus. Additionally, supporting urban agriculture and the rehabilitation of urban ecosystems and natural resources is an urgent priority for the 21st century.

Veterans, Defense, and Foreign Affairs

There can be no doubt: protecting our veterans and ensuring their health and wellness must be a priority without peer. As a member of the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, Congresswoman Kaptur has sought to secure the well-being of our veterans, while making sure our current military is equipped to promote liberty, ensure our national security, and build a future of clean energy independence. Marcy Kaptur is a strong supporter of modern defense systems and equipment for our armed forces and supports Northern Ohio’s legacy as a leader in the nation’s defense industrial base. She has spearheaded major federal investments at Ohio’s defense bases including northern Ohio’s National Guard and Reserve assets such as the 180 TFW and Ottawa County’s Camp Perry. These investments resulted in our Guard bases ranking among the most modern, energy efficient bases in the U.S. Congresswoman Kaptur is a strong believer that Congress, and not the president alone, must have a voice in defense actions. She voted against authorizing President Bush’s Iraq war powers. We must engage with allies to advance liberty and improve quality of life around the world.

Wall Street

Wall Street has a serious accountability problem. The Great Recession destroyed 8.8 million jobs and wiped out $19.2 trillion of household wealth. Whether it was subprime lending, predatory lending practices, big banks selling mortgage securities without due diligence, or speculators betting on failure, greed has been allowed to warp our economy and put millions of hard-working Americans at risk. The subsequent Dodd-Frank legislation did not go far enough. Commercial banking has not been separated from investment banking. Our financial institutions are still “too big to fail”. Our credit rating agencies have not been regulated. Community banks face too many hurdles to compete. Congresswoman Kaptur has proposed the Return to Prudent Banking Act, which would reinstate the provisions of the Glass-Steagall Act to address these issues and more. This is also an issue of accountability – those who engage in financial crimes must face an equipped justice system. The congresswoman proposed and supported passage of the Financial Crisis Investigation Act which authorized the hiring of 1,000 agents and forensic experts to investigate financial crimes.

Building the WWII Memorial

Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur has made support for America’s seniors, including veterans, a central pillar of her service. She led an effort that lasted nearly two decades to build the National World War II Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. resulting in a beautiful monument to the sacrifices of those who fought tyranny and oppression. The Memorial is now one of the most visited sites in Washington, D.C. a fitting tribute to our Greatest Generation. The idea came from Berkey, Ohio constituent Roger Durbin and became a 17 year crusade for Congresswoman Kaptur. In 2004 at its unveiling, Mr. Durbin was posthumously honored for his inspiration.

Campaign Finance

Campaign spending has skyrocketed in the years following the outrageous Citizens United decision. Billionaires and corporations are now free to pump millions of dollars into our elections without accountability. Our country’s very future as a democracy is at risk unless we achieve campaign finance reform. Marcy Kaptur knows we must reign in special interests and has supported legislation to repeal Citizens United, to limit spending in elections, and to improve access to the ballot for candidates. Our elections cannot be up for sale to the highest bidder. Liberty requires safeguards on the influence of money in governance and elections.

More Information

Services

Source: Government page

District

Source: Wikipedia

Ohio’s 9th congressional district has been represented by Representative Marcy Kaptur (D) since 1983. It was one of five districts that would have voted for Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election had they existed in their current configuration while being won or held by a Democrat in 2022.

This district is located in the northwestern part of the state, bordering Michigan, Indiana, and Ontario, Canada (via Lake Erie), and includes all of Defiance, Williams, Fulton, Lucas, Ottawa, Sandusky, and Erie counties, and a portion of northern Wood County.

The previous iteration of the 9th district stretched along Lake Erie from Toledo to Cleveland, and was called “The Snake by the Lake” due to its long and skinny appearance on the map.[3] It was named of the “Top 5 Ugliest Districts” due to gerrymandering. The two parts of the district were connected only via the Thomas Edison Memorial Bridge between Erie and Ottawa counties, as well as Crane Creek State Park. Some Ohio Democrats argued that when the beach floods, the district was not contiguous.[

It was one of several districts challenged in a 2018 lawsuit seeking to overturn Ohio’s congressional map as unconstitutional gerrymandering. According to the lawsuit, the 9th “eats its way across the southern border of Lake Erie” while fragmenting Cleveland and Toledo.[6] In 2019, the Supreme Court refused to hear the case meaning that Ohio’s congressional districts, including District 9, would not need to be redrawn.

Wikipedia

Marcia Carolyn Kaptur (/ˈkæptər/ KAP-tər; born June 17, 1946) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative from Ohio‘s 9th congressional district. Currently in her 22nd term, she has been a member of Congress since 1983.

A member of the Democratic Party, Kaptur is the longest-serving woman in congressional history and the dean of Ohio’s congressional delegation. Her district is located in northwestern Ohio along the southern shore of Lake Erie and includes parts of Toledo and other communities in Defiance, Erie, Fulton, Ottawa, Lucas, Sandusky, Williams, and Wood counties.[1]

Early life and education

Kaptur was born on June 17, 1946, in Toledo, Ohio, to Anastasia Delores (Rogowski) and Stephen Jacob Kaptur.[2] Both of her parents were of Polish descent. Her paternal grandparents came from the town of Żnin in present-day Poland, while her maternal grandparents, the Rogowskis, were from the area of Polonne, now located in Ukraine‘s Khmelnytskyi Oblast.[3] Her family ran a small grocery store in Rossford, and her mother was an automobile union organizer.[4] Kaptur became involved in politics at an early age, volunteering with the Ohio Democratic Party when she was 13.[5]

She graduated from St. Ursula Academy, an all-girls Catholic preparatory school, in 1964[6] and was the first person in her family to attend college.[7] She received her undergraduate degree in history from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1968[4] and a Master of Urban Planning from the University of Michigan in 1974.[8] She began doctoral studies in urban planning development finance at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1981.[9]

Early career

Kaptur began her career in urban planning, working as an urban planner on the Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions from 1969 to 1975.[6] During this time period, she stayed active in local Democratic politics, volunteering for Hubert Humphrey’s 1968 presidential campaign and later helping George McGovern carry Lucas County in the 1972 presidential election, one of only two counties in Ohio to do so.[10]

In 1975, she became director of planning for the National Center for Urban Ethnic Affairs, a Washington-based organization founded by Catholic priest Geno Baroni, where she worked until 1977.[10] Afterwards, she joined the Carter administration as a domestic policy advisor on urban affairs and helped advance several housing and neighborhood revitalization bills through Congress.[5] Following her time in Washington D.C., Kaptur went to Massachusetts to do graduate work.[11]

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

Kaptur’s portrait from the 98th Congress, 1983

In 1982, while pursuing her doctorate degree, Kaptur was recruited by local Democratic leaders to run for Congress in Ohio‘s 9th district in the midterm elections.[9] The seat was held by freshman Republican Ed Weber, who had unseated 26-year incumbent Lud Ashley two years earlier.[12] Initially considered a long shot, Kaptur entered the race after encouragement from Geno Baroni[4] and party officials who had struggled to find a viable challenger.[5]

Kaptur returned to Ohio from Massachusetts, withdrawing from her doctorate program and driving through a snowstorm to begin campaigning.[10] Her campaign gained attention for its grassroots style, including raising $10,000 through bake sales,[10] a strategy that became a hallmark of her early political efforts.[13] Amid a national recession during President Reagan‘s first term and rising unemployment in Lucas County,[10] Kaptur focused her campaign on local economic decline and criticized Weber’s support for the free trade policies of the Reagan Administration.[5] She connected with working-class voters by emphasizing economic populism and cultural familiarity, once serving kielbasa made from her father’s recipe at a rally.[10]

Despite receiving little support from the national Democratic Party, which had largely written off the district, Kaptur benefited from encouragement by Representatives Shirley Chisholm and Mary Rose Oakar. Though outspent nearly three to one,[4] she won the election with 58% of the vote.[14] Kaptur later credited her victory to her strong ties to the local community. After the election, she recalled how the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, which had provided no support during the race, sent her a belated $5,000 contribution.[15]

In 1984 for her re-election, Kaptur faced a strong challenge from Republican Frank Venner, a longtime news anchor at WTVG,[16] but defeated him 55–44%,[17] even as Ronald Reagan carried the district. From 1986 to 2002, she won every election with at least 74% of the vote.[4] She won her 12th term in 2004 with 68% of the vote, and again secured 74% in both 2006 and 2008.[4]

2010s

Ohio‘s 9th district from 2013 to 2023

Kaptur’s electoral margins began to narrow in the 2010s, reflecting growing political competitiveness in the region. Shortly after achieving fame during the 2008 election, conservative figure Samuel “Joe the Plumber” Wurzelbacher announced that he was considering challenging Kaptur in the 2010 election,[18][19][20] but chose not to run. Kaptur was instead challenged by Republican Rich Iott, a Tea Party movement favorite. She was reelected to a 15th term with 59% of the vote,[21] her closest victory since 1984.[4]

For her first three decades in Congress, Kaptur represented a compact district centered around Toledo. Redistricting after the 2010 census extended the 9th district to western Cleveland. The new map for the 2012 elections put the home of incumbent 10th district congressman Dennis Kucinich into the 9th, so they ran against each other in the Democratic primary. Graham Veysey, a small-business owner from Cleveland, also ran in the primary. Retaining over 60% of her former territory, Kaptur won the primary with 56% of the vote to Kucinich’s 40%.[22][23] In the general election, she won a 16th term against Wurzelbacher and Libertarian Sean Stipe with of the vote.[24] The reconfigured 9th was no less Democratic than its predecessor, and Kaptur had effectively clinched reelection by defeating Kucinich in the primary.

Kaptur being sworn into the 115th U.S. Congress in 2017

Kaptur’s 2014 opponent was Richard May, a longtime Republican activist from west Cleveland, who beat Lakewood resident Robert C. Horrocks Jr. in the May 6 primary.[25] Kaptur won 68–32%.[4] Kaptur’s 2016 opponent was Donald Larson, who defeated Steven Kraus and Joel Lieske in the Republican primary on March 15. Kaptur won 68–31%.[4]

2020s

In the 2020s, Kaptur’s district shifted from a reliably Democratic seat to a swing district. Her 2020 opponent was Rob Weber, who defeated Charles W. Barrett, Tim Connors, and Timothy P. Corrigan in the Republican primary on March 17. Kaptur won 63–37%.

Following the 2020 census, redistricting shifted the 9th district westward, incorporating much of the strongly Republican 5th district. While President Joe Biden carried the old district with 59% of the vote, the new district would have narrowly favored Donald Trump with 51%. Despite the unfavorable shift, Kaptur defeated Republican nominee J.R. Majewski in 2022 by a comfortable margin of 56.6% to 43.4%.[26]

In 2024, she faced an extremely close race against state representative Derek Merrin, who was endorsed by Trump.[27] Kaptur won reelection by less than one percentage point at 48.3% to Merrin’s 47.6%,[28] which marked the first time in her political career that she failed to secure a majority of the vote.[4]

Tenure

Kaptur took office on January 3, 1983.[29] At the time, she became the first woman to represent Ohio’s 9th congressional district[30] and was one of 24 women serving in Congress.[31] In her first term, she was appointed to the Banking, Finance, and Urban Affairs Committee as well as the Veterans’ Affairs Committee.[32] During the 1980s, she developed a good working relationship with Speaker Jim Wright, who later appointed her as vice chair of a task force on trade and to the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee. In her fourth term, she gained a position on the Budget Committee and afterwards secured a seat on the Appropriations Committee.[32]

World War II Memorial at dusk

In 1987, Kaptur introduced the World War II Memorial Act in the House.[33] The bill authorized the American Battle Monuments Commission to establish a World War II memorial. It was not voted on before the end of the session and so failed to be enacted. Kaptur introduced similar legislation twice in 1989 but these bills also failed to become law.[34] Kaptur introduced legislation for the fourth time in 1993. This time the legislation was voted on and passed in the House. After a companion bill was passed in the United States Senate, President Bill Clinton signed the bill into law.[35] Kaptur later said that she felt “a great sense of fulfillment” that the memorial was built. “This generation was the most unselfish America has ever seen,” she said. “They never asked anybody for anything in return.”[36]

In 1993, Kaptur strongly opposed the signing of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).[10] She said that the trade agreement would result in widespread job losses as companies outsourced work to lower-wage Mexico. Following NAFTA, she also objected to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and the establishment of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 1995.[32] Kaptur expressed concern that free trade agreements would undermine U.S. economic interests and erode international standards on labor rights, environmental protection, and consumer safety. Despite her efforts, including working with labor unions to block NAFTA and the WTO agreement, both measures passed.[32] Her prominent role in trade policy debates attracted national attention, and in 1996, independent presidential candidate Ross Perot invited her to join his election campaign as a vice-presidential candidate for the 1996 presidential election. She declined the offer.[37][38]

Kaptur speaks at the dedication of a highway project that she helped secure funding for in Sandusky, 2013

Kaptur was a vocal critic of Wall Street and its role in the 2008 financial crisis.[39] She opposed the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, which authorized a federal bailout of major U.S. banks.[40] Her position, along with her broader criticism of the financial industry, was featured in Michael Moore’s 2009 documentary Capitalism: A Love Story.[41] In 2011, Kaptur introduced H.R. 1489, a bill aimed at restoring key provisions of the Glass–Steagall Act (1933) by repealing parts of the Gramm–Leach–Bliley Act (1999) and restoring the separation between commercial banking and securities trading. The bill received support from 30 co-sponsors.[42]

In the 2000s, Kaptur sought to steer the Democratic Party towards a greater focus on its working-class base, emphasizing her Midwestern “heartland” roots in contrast to the party’s coastal leadership. In 2002, she challenged Representative Nancy Pelosi for the position of House Democratic leader, using her candidacy to draw attention to what she described as the party’s neglect of its “non-money wing.” She withdrew before a vote was taken. In 2008, Kaptur ran for vice chair of the House Democratic Caucus, but lost to Representative Xavier Becerra, a close Pelosi ally. After Democrats lost their House majority in the 2010 midterm elections, Kaptur was among those who called for a delay in leadership elections—an effort some interpreted as encouraging Pelosi to step aside.[39] Reflecting on her differences with Pelosi years later, Kaptur criticized the Democratic leader’s support for NAFTA, saying, “That’s where the real knife was put in the flesh.”[43]

In 2016, Kaptur endorsed Senator Bernie Sanders in the Democratic presidential primary and introduced him at a rally in Toledo.[44] In October, she endorsed the nominee, Hillary Clinton, who had won Ohio and her district in the primary.[citation needed] In 2018, Kaptur became the longest-serving woman in the House of Representatives,[45] and then in 2023, she became the longest-serving woman in Congress overall.[31][46]

Committee assignments

Kaptur on the Appropriations Committee

For the 119th Congress:[47]

Caucus memberships

Political positions

Free trade

Kaptur discusses the negative effects of free trade agreements on the country’s trade deficit, 2017

Kaptur opposes free trade agreements. She helped lead opposition to the North American Free Trade Agreement, permanent normal trade relations for the People’s Republic of China, and fast track authority for the president.[32]

Patent reform

Kaptur opposed the America Invents Act, which overhauled the U.S. patent system by shifting from a “first to invent” to a “first to file” framework.[49] She argued that the change hurt small businesses, stating, “Our patent system is the finest in the world… the proposed solutions are special fixes that benefit these few giants at the expense of everyone else.”[50]

She later co-sponsored the Restoring America’s Leadership in Innovation Act, which aimed to strengthen inventors’ property rights. The bill proposed eliminating the administrative review process that allows the public to challenge the validity of patents, a process originally designed to prevent misuse of the patent system.[51]

Immigration reform

Kaptur was one of 38 Democrats to vote against the DREAM Act in 2010. Although the bill passed the House, it ultimately failed in the Senate.[52] She later supported the measure, voting in favor of the DREAM Act in 2021.[53] Kaptur voted against the Equal Representation Act in 2024, which proposed excluding noncitizens ineligible to vote from the population counts used to determine congressional representation.[54] In January 2025, Kaptur was one of 46 House Democrats who joined all Republicans to vote for the Laken Riley Act.[55]

In February of 2025, Kaptur raised concerns about Elon Musk‘s U.S. citizenship status, questioning his allegiance due to his multiple nationalities. Speaking outside the Capitol, Kaptur remarked, “Mr. Musk has just been here 22 years. And he’s a citizen of three countries. I always ask myself the question, with the damage he’s doing here, when push comes to shove, which country is his loyalty to? South Africa? Canada? Or the United States? And he’s only been a citizen, I’ll say again, 22 years.”[56] Kaptur’s remarks quickly drew backlash on social media, with many users criticizing them as nativist rhetoric.

Foreign affairs

Kaptur speaks in support of Ukrainians affected by the Russo-Ukrainian war, 2023

Kaptur serves as co-chair of the Congressional Ukrainian Caucus and has been a vocal supporter for Ukraine during the Russo-Ukrainian War. She has expressed support for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and stated that the country “voted for her own independence and has been laboring to be free with continued Russian meddling in her country all these decades.”[57] In 2023, Kaptur signed a letter urging President Joe Biden to provide F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine.[58]

Abortion

Kaptur supported Roe v. Wade, calling it “the law of the land,”[59] but describes herself as neither strictly pro-choice nor pro-life.[5] She opposes federal funding for abortions and has backed several restrictions,[5] including bans on so-called partial-birth abortions in 2000[60] and 2003,[61] the Stupak-Pitts Amendment in 2009,[62] and the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act in 2011.[63] She voted multiple times in the 1990s against allowing privately funded abortions at overseas military hospitals,[64][65][66][67][68] though she supported lifting the ban in 2005.[69] Her record on other abortion-related legislation has varied. She voted against the Child Custody Protection Act (1999),[70] the Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act (2005),[71] and the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act (2023).[72] In 2007, she voted against federally funded embryonic stem-cell research.[73] In 2010, she withheld support for the Affordable Care Act until assured it would not provide funding for abortions.[74] She supports the requirement that Medicaid provide coverage for abortions in cases of rape, incest, or life endangerment.[5]

Personal life

Kaptur is a Roman Catholic and has described her faith as a core part of her identity, particularly as an American of Polish heritage.[75] In a letter to Network Lobby, she wrote that Catholicism gave her ancestors “worth and hope—during times of bondage, repression, punishment, war, illness, and harrowing economic downturns.”[75] She has also expressed admiration for Catholic social teaching, especially the option for the poor. Blending her religious beliefs with progressive politics, The Washington Post described her as “an economic populist from America’s heartland with progressive values and a conservative disposition.”[74]

Electoral history

Ohio’s 9th congressional district: Results 1982–1998
YearDemocraticVotes%SwingRepublicanVotes%SwingThird partiesPartyVotes%Total votes
1982[76]Marcy Kaptur95,16257.95%+18.14Ed Weber
(incumbent)		64,45939.25%−16.96Susan SkinnerIndependent1,7851.09%164,217
James SomersIndependent1,5940.97%
David MuirLibertarian1,2170.74%
1984[77]Marcy Kaptur
(incumbent)		117,98554.90%−3.05Frank Venner93,21043.37%+4.12Write-in3,7141.73%214,909
1986[78]Marcy Kaptur
(incumbent)		105,64677.52%+22.62Mike Shufeldt30,64322.48%−20.89136,289
1988[79]Marcy Kaptur
(incumbent)		157,55781.29%+3.77Al Hawkins36,18318.67%−3.81Write-in720.04%193,812
1990[80]Marcy Kaptur
(incumbent)		117,68177.69%−3.60Jerry Lammers33,79122.31%+3.64151,472
1992[81]Marcy Kaptur
(incumbent)		178,87973.58%−4.11Ken Brown53,01121.81%−0.50Edward HowardIndependent11,1624.59%243,102
Write-in500.02%
1994[82]Marcy Kaptur
(incumbent)		118,12075.34%+1.76Randy Whitman38,66524.66%+2.85156,785
1996[83]Marcy Kaptur
(incumbent)		170,61777.08%+1.74Randy Whitman46,04020.80%−3.86Elizabeth SlotnickNatural Law4,6772.11%221,334
1998[84]Marcy Kaptur
(incumbent)		130,79381.18%+4.10Ed Emery30,31218.12%−2.68161,105
2000[85]Marcy Kaptur
(incumbent)		168,54774.80%−6.38Dwight Bryan49,44621.94%+3.82Galen FriesLibertarian4,2391.88%225,328
Dennis SlotnickNatural Law3,0961.37%
2002[86]Marcy Kaptur
(incumbent)		132,23673.99%−0.81Ed Emery46,48126.01%+4.07178,717
2004[87]Marcy Kaptur
(incumbent)		205,14968.13%−5.86Larry Kaczala95,98331.87%+5.86301,132
2006[88]Marcy Kaptur
(incumbent)		153,88073.63%+5.50Bradley Leavitt55,11926.37%−5.50208,999
2008[89]Marcy Kaptur
(incumbent)		222,05474.37%+0.74Bradley Leavitt76,51225.63%−0.74298,566
2010[90]Marcy Kaptur
(incumbent)		121,81959.35%−15.02Rich Iott83,42340.65%+15.02205,242
US House election, 2012: Ohio District 9[91][92]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
DemocraticMarcy Kaptur (incumbent) 42,902 56.18%
DemocraticDennis Kucinich (incumbent)30,56440.02%
DemocraticGraham Veysey2,9003.80%
Total votes76,366 100
DemocraticMarcy Kaptur (incumbent) 217,775 73.04% +13.69
RepublicanSamuel Wurzelbacher68,66623.03%−17.62
LibertarianSean Stipe11,7253.93%N/A
Total votes298,166 100
Democratic hold
US House election, 2014: Ohio District 9[93]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
DemocraticMarcy Kaptur (incumbent) 108,870 67.74% −5.30
RepublicanRichard May51,70432.17%+9.14
Write-in1410.09%N/A
Total votes160,715 100%
Democratic hold
US House election, 2016: Ohio District 9[94]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
DemocraticMarcy Kaptur (incumbent) 193,966 68.69% +0.95
RepublicanDonald Larson88,42731.31%−0.86
Write-in50.00%N/A
Total votes282,398 100%
Democratic hold
US House election, 2018: Ohio District 9[95]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
DemocraticMarcy Kaptur (incumbent) 157,219 67.79% −0.90
RepublicanSteve Kraus74,67032.19%+0.88
Write-in480.02%N/A
Total votes231,937 100%
Democratic hold
US House election, 2020: Ohio District 9[96]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
DemocraticMarcy Kaptur (incumbent) 190,328 63.07% −4.72
RepublicanRob Weber111,38536.91%+4.72
Write-in390.01%N/A
Total votes301,752 100%
Democratic hold
US House election, 2022: Ohio District 9[97]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
DemocraticMarcy Kaptur (incumbent) 150,655 56.63% −6.44
RepublicanJ.R. Majewski115,36243.37%+6.46
Total votes266,017 100%
Democratic hold
US House election, 2024: Ohio District 9[98]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
DemocraticMarcy Kaptur (incumbent) 181,098 48.27% −8.36
RepublicanDerek Merrin178,71647.63%+4.26
LibertarianTom Pruss15,3814.10%N/A
Total votes375,195 100%
Democratic hold

See also

References

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U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by

 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Ohio’s 9th congressional district
1983–present		Incumbent
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by

 United States representatives by seniority
4th		Succeeded by

Order of precedence of the United States


source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcy_Kaptur