Marcy Kaptur facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Marcy Kaptur
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Official portrait, 2022
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Ohio's 9th district |
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| Assumed office January 3, 1983 |
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| Preceded by | Ed Weber |
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| Born |
Marcia Carolyn Kaptur
June 17, 1946 Toledo, Ohio, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education | University of Wisconsin, Madison (BA) University of Michigan (MUP) Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
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Marcia Carolyn Kaptur (born June 17, 1946) is an American politician. She serves as a U.S. representative for Ohio's 9th congressional district. She has been a member of Congress since 1983.
Marcy Kaptur is a member of the Democratic Party. She is the longest-serving woman in the history of the U.S. Congress. She is also the leader of Ohio's group of representatives in Congress. Her district is in northwestern Ohio, along Lake Erie. It includes parts of Toledo and other towns.
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Marcy Kaptur's Early Life and Education
Marcy Kaptur was born in Toledo, Ohio, on June 17, 1946. Her parents, Anastasia and Stephen Kaptur, were of Polish descent. Her family ran a small grocery store. Her mother was a union organizer for car workers. Marcy Kaptur started getting involved in politics when she was 13. She volunteered for the Ohio Democratic Party.
She went to St. Ursula Academy, an all-girls Catholic school. She graduated in 1964. She was the first person in her family to go to college. She earned a degree in history from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1968. Later, she received a master's degree in urban planning from the University of Michigan in 1974. In 1981, she began studying for her doctorate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Marcy Kaptur's First Jobs
Kaptur started her career as an urban planner. She worked for the Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions from 1969 to 1975. During this time, she stayed active in local Democratic politics. She volunteered for political campaigns.
In 1975, she became a director at the National Center for Urban Ethnic Affairs. This organization was based in Washington, D.C. She worked there until 1977. After that, she joined the Carter administration. She advised on urban affairs and helped pass housing laws in Congress. After her time in Washington D.C., Kaptur went to Massachusetts for her graduate studies.
Marcy Kaptur in the U.S. House of Representatives
How Marcy Kaptur Was Elected
In 1982, local Democratic leaders asked Kaptur to run for Congress. She was studying for her doctorate at the time. The seat was held by a new Republican representative, Ed Weber. Many thought Kaptur had little chance to win.
Kaptur returned to Ohio from Massachusetts to start campaigning. She raised money in unique ways, like holding bake sales. This became a known part of her early campaigns. The country was facing an economic slowdown. Kaptur focused her campaign on local job losses. She criticized Weber's support for free trade policies. She connected with working-class voters. She even served kielbasa (a type of sausage) at a rally.
The national Democratic Party did not give her much support. However, she won the election with 58% of the votes. Kaptur believed her strong ties to the community helped her win.
For her re-election in 1984, Kaptur faced a strong opponent. She still won with 55% of the vote. From 1986 to 2002, she won every election with at least 74% of the votes. She continued to win by large margins in 2004, 2006, and 2008.
Elections in the 2010s
In the 2010s, Kaptur's election wins became closer. In 2010, she was challenged by Rich Iott, a favorite of the Tea Party movement. She won with 59% of the vote. This was her closest victory since 1984.
After the 2010 census, the boundaries of her district changed. The new map for the 2012 elections included the home of another representative, Dennis Kucinich. This meant they ran against each other in the Democratic primary election. Kaptur won the primary with 56% of the vote. In the main election, she won her 16th term.
Kaptur won her 2014 election with 68% of the vote. In 2016, she won again with 68% of the vote.
Elections in the 2020s
In the 2020s, Kaptur's district became more competitive. In 2020, she won with 63% of the vote.
After the 2020 census, her district boundaries changed again. The new district included more areas that usually vote Republican. Even with this change, Kaptur won her 2022 election. She defeated J.R. Majewski with 56.6% of the vote.
In 2024, she had a very close race against Derek Merrin. Kaptur won re-election by less than one percentage point. This was the first time she did not win with more than half of the votes.
Marcy Kaptur's Time in Office
Marcy Kaptur started her term on January 3, 1983. She was the first woman to represent Ohio's 9th congressional district. She was one of only 24 women serving in Congress at that time. Early in her career, she joined important committees. These included the Banking, Finance, and Urban Affairs Committee and the Veterans’ Affairs Committee. Over time, she gained positions on the Budget Committee and the Appropriations Committee.
In 1987, Kaptur proposed a law to create the World War II Memorial. This bill did not pass at first. She tried again several times. In 1993, her bill finally passed in the House and Senate. President Bill Clinton signed it into law. Kaptur later said she felt "a great sense of fulfillment" that the memorial was built.
In 1993, Kaptur strongly disagreed with the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). She believed this trade agreement would cause many jobs to be lost. She thought companies would move work to Mexico where wages were lower. She also opposed other trade agreements like the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). She worried that these agreements would hurt U.S. businesses and lower standards for workers and the environment. Despite her efforts, these agreements passed. Her strong views on trade made her well-known. In 1996, Ross Perot, who was running for president, asked her to be his running mate. She declined the offer.
Kaptur was a strong critic of Wall Street and its role in the 2008 financial crisis. She opposed the government's plan to help major U.S. banks. Her views were shown in the 2009 movie Capitalism: A Love Story. In 2011, Kaptur introduced a bill to bring back parts of the Glass–Steagall Act. This act used to keep commercial banking and stock trading separate.
In the 2000s, Kaptur tried to get the Democratic Party to focus more on working-class people. She wanted a leadership role. In 2002, she challenged Nancy Pelosi for a leadership position. She wanted to highlight what she saw as the party ignoring its "non-money wing." She later withdrew from the race. In 2016, Kaptur supported Bernie Sanders in the Democratic presidential primary. In 2018, Kaptur became the longest-serving woman in the House of Representatives. In 2023, she became the longest-serving woman in Congress overall.
Marcy Kaptur's Committee Roles
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For the current Congress, Marcy Kaptur serves on these committees:
- Committee on Appropriations
- Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
- Subcommittee on Defense
- Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies (as the lead Democrat)
- Committee on the Budget
Groups Marcy Kaptur Belongs To
- Blue Collar Caucus
- Congressional Caucus on Poland (co-chair)
- Congressional Ukrainian Caucus (co-chair)
Marcy Kaptur's Political Views
Free Trade
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Kaptur is against free trade agreements. She helped lead the opposition to the North American Free Trade Agreement. She also opposed giving permanent normal trade relations to China.
Patent System Changes
Kaptur opposed the America Invents Act. This law changed the U.S. patent system. She argued that the changes would hurt small businesses. She believed the changes mostly helped large companies.
She later supported a bill called the Restoring America's Leadership in Innovation Act. This bill aimed to make inventors' property rights stronger.
Immigration Laws
In 2010, Kaptur was one of 38 Democrats who voted against the DREAM Act. This bill would have helped young undocumented immigrants. Although it passed the House, it did not become law then. She later supported the measure, voting for the DREAM Act in 2021. In 2024, Kaptur voted against a bill that would have excluded non-citizens from population counts for congressional representation. In January 2025, Kaptur voted for the Laken Riley Act.
In February 2025, Kaptur shared concerns about Elon Musk's U.S. citizenship. She questioned his loyalty because he holds citizenship in multiple countries. She noted he had been a U.S. citizen for 22 years.
Foreign Affairs
Kaptur is a co-chair of the Congressional Ukrainian Caucus. She has strongly supported Ukraine during the Russo-Ukrainian War. She supports Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. She believes Ukraine has worked hard to be free. In 2023, Kaptur signed a letter asking President Joe Biden to send F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine.
Marcy Kaptur's Personal Life
Marcy Kaptur is a Roman Catholic. She has said her faith is a very important part of who she is. She also admires Catholic social teaching, especially helping those in need. The Washington Post described her as someone who supports working people. They also noted her progressive values and a careful approach.
Images for kids
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Marcy Kaptur's signature
