Mike Capuano facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mike Capuano
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts |
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| In office January 3, 1999 – January 3, 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Joseph P. Kennedy II |
| Succeeded by | Ayanna Pressley |
| Constituency | 8th district (1999–2013) 7th district (2013–2019) |
| 33rd Mayor of Somerville | |
| In office January 1, 1990 – January 3, 1999 |
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| Preceded by | Eugene Brune |
| Succeeded by | Dorothy Kelly Gay |
| Member of the Somerville Board of Aldermen | |
| In office 1985–1989 |
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| In office 1977–1979 |
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| Constituency | At-Large Ward |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Michael Everett Capuano
January 9, 1952 Somerville, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Barbara Teebagy
(m. 1974) |
| Children | 2 |
| Relatives | Chris Evans (nephew) Scott Evans (nephew) |
| Residences | Somerville, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Education | Dartmouth College (BA) Boston College (JD) |
| Signature |  |
Michael Everett Capuano (born January 9, 1952) is an American politician and lawyer. He served as a U.S. Representative for Massachusetts from 1999 to 2019. He is a member of the Democratic Party. His district included parts of Boston, Cambridge, and his hometown of Somerville. Before becoming a U.S. Representative, he was an Alderman and Mayor of Somerville.
Capuano grew up in Somerville. He went to Dartmouth College and Boston College Law School. After college, he worked as a lawyer and served on the Somerville Board of Aldermen. He became Mayor of Somerville in 1990 and served until 1999.
In 1998, Capuano was elected to the U.S. Congress. He was re-elected nine times. He represented Massachusetts's 8th district, which later became the 7th district in 2013. In Congress, he was known for his liberal views. In 2018, he lost his re-election primary to Ayanna Pressley.
After leaving Congress in 2019, Capuano joined a law firm as a public affairs director. He also started teaching at Boston University's Initiative on Cities.
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Early Life and Education
Mike Capuano was born on January 9, 1952, in Somerville, Massachusetts. His father, Andrew Capuano, was the first Italian American elected to the Somerville Board of Aldermen. His mother, Rita Marie, was of Irish descent.
Capuano graduated from Somerville High School in 1969. He then attended Dartmouth College, earning a degree in 1973. In 1977, he earned his law degree from Boston College Law School. He focused on tax law.
Early Political Career
In 1976, Capuano was elected to the Somerville Board of Aldermen, representing Ward 5. This was the same position his father once held. He served one term before running for Mayor of Somerville in 1979. He lost that election and another mayoral race in 1981.
From 1978 to 1984, Capuano worked as a legal advisor for the Massachusetts General Court's tax committee. In 1985, he returned to the Somerville Board of Aldermen as an at-large member.
Mayor of Somerville
In 1989, Capuano ran for mayor a third time and won. He served as mayor from 1990 to 1999. He was known for being a very involved leader. One of his goals was to reduce the city's population density. He used state grants to tear down some buildings and create playgrounds and parking areas. As mayor, he also helped reduce school class sizes to a maximum of 19 students.
Serving in the U.S. House of Representatives
Congressional Elections
In 1998, Joseph Kennedy II decided not to run for re-election in the 8th District. Mike Capuano entered the race, which had many Democratic candidates. He won the primary election with 23% of the vote, largely due to strong support in Somerville. This win almost guaranteed his election in November, as the district was very Democratic. He easily won the general election with 81% of the vote.
Capuano was re-elected nine times. He always won with more than 80% of the vote in this strongly Democratic district. He faced a Republican candidate only once, in his first election in 1998. In most of his re-election bids, he ran unopposed or against minor-party candidates.
2018 Election Challenge
In the September 4, 2018, primary election, Capuano was defeated by Boston City Councilor Ayanna Pressley. He received 41.3% of the vote, while Pressley received 58.5%. The Boston Globe reported that he did not receive endorsements from Massachusetts's U.S. Senators, Elizabeth Warren and Edward J. Markey. However, he was supported by most of the Massachusetts federal delegation. Congressman John Lewis also endorsed Capuano, calling him "a champion and fierce advocate." The Boston Globe noted that the district was designed to favor minority candidates. Pressley's win in the primary meant she was almost certain to become the next congresswoman for the district.
Time in Congress
| Committee Assignments |
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| 115th Congress (2017–19) |
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During his time in Congress, Capuano helped create several groups called caucuses. These groups focused on topics like Community Health Centers, Sudan, and Korea. He also started a caucus for former mayors.
Capuano voted against the War in Iraq and supported bringing troops home quickly. In 2005, he visited Iraq to understand the situation better. He was a strong supporter of increasing international aid funding. He also worked to bring attention to the crisis in Darfur and helped secure money to assist developing African nations.
Capuano supported policies that protect women's health choices. He is also a strong supporter of labor rights and unions. In 2011, he expressed regret for some strong words he used at a rally supporting workers' rights.
After the 2008 financial crisis and government help for banks, Capuano spoke strongly to bank leaders. He criticized their actions during a hearing. His speech was even featured in the 2010 documentary film Inside Job, which was about problems in the financial industry.
Capuano described himself as a "fiscal conservative" who opposed tax cuts for the wealthy. In 2013, he joined Senator Elizabeth Warren and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino to protest government spending cuts, calling them "stupid."
Campaigns for Other Offices
1994 Secretary Nomination
In 1994, Capuano ran for Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth. He needed support from at least 15% of delegates at the state party convention to be on the primary ballot. He did not get enough votes, which was a setback for his campaign.
2010 Senate Campaign
After Senator Ted Kennedy passed away, a special election was held in 2010. Capuano decided to run for the open Senate seat. He announced his candidacy on September 18, 2009. He received endorsements from important figures like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and former Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis.
However, Capuano lost the Democratic primary election to Martha Coakley on December 8, 2009. He received 28% of the vote, while Coakley received 47%.
2014 Governor's Race
Capuano thought about running for Governor of Massachusetts in 2014. Some people encouraged him to run. In February 2013, he mentioned that important political battles might happen more at the state level than in Washington, D.C. However, in September 2013, Capuano announced he would not run for governor. Instead, he chose to focus on his re-election to Congress.
Personal Life
Mike Capuano was named after his two grandfathers. He has seven siblings, though two passed away when they were very young. He married Barbara Teebagy in 1974, and they have two sons, Michael and Joseph. He is the uncle of actors Chris Evans (known for Captain America films) and Scott Evans.
In 2003, the city of Somerville honored Capuano by naming a new school after him. The Michael E. Capuano Early Childhood Center opened in September of that year. Capuano is a Roman Catholic.
