Marcy Kaptur

Marcia Carolyn Kaptur (born June 17, 1946) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative from OH's 9th congressional district.

Kaptur was born on June 17, 1946, in Toledo, Ohio, the daughter of Anastasia Delores (Rogowski) and Stephen Jacob Kaptur.

Her parents were both of Polish descent.

Her mother was an automobile union organizer and her family operated a small grocery.

Kaptur started volunteering with the Ohio Democratic Party when she was 13.

While Joe Biden carried the old 9th with 59% of the vote, the new 9th would have voted for Donald Trump with 51% of the vote.

Despite this, Kaptur easily defeated Republican nominee J.R. Majewski, 56% to 43%.

Kaptur graduated from St. Ursula Academy in 1964 and became the first person in her family to attend college.

She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1968 and a Master of Urban Planning from the University of Michigan in 1974.

Kaptur served on the Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions from 1969 to 1975.

She was director of planning for the National Center for Urban Ethnic Affairs (1975–1977), founded by Geno Baroni.

She later served as a domestic policy advisor during President Jimmy Carter's administration.

She did doctoral studies in urban planning development finance at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1981.

While at MIT, Kaptur was recruited to run for Congress in 1982 against freshman Republican Ed Weber, who had upset 26-year incumbent Lud Ashley two years earlier.

Despite being outspent by almost 3–1, she defeated Weber 58–39%.

Now in her 21st 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 (having surpassed Barbara Mikulski in 2023) and the dean of Ohio's congressional delegation.

In 1984, Kaptur faced a strong challenge from Republican Frank Venner, longtime anchorman and weatherman at WTVG, but defeated him 55–44%, even as Ronald Reagan carried the district.

She was reelected to a 15th term with 59% of the vote, her closest victory since 1984.

For her first three decades in Congress, Kaptur represented a compact district centered around Toledo.

From 1986 to 2002, she won every election with at least 74% of the vote.

In 2004, she faced her strongest challenger in 20 years in Lucas County auditor Larry Kaczala, but won the election 68–32%.

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,

but chose not to run.

Kaptur was instead challenged by Republican Rich Iott, a Tea Party movement favorite.

Redistricting after the 2010 census extended the 9th district to western Cleveland.

The new map 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%.

Kaptur won her 13th term with 74% of the vote.

Kaptur won her 14th term with 74% of the vote.

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.

Kaptur won 68–32%.

In the general election, she won a 16th term against Wurzelbacher and Libertarian Sean Stipe.

The reconfigured 9th was no less Democratic than its predecessor, and Kaptur had effectively clinched reelection by defeating Kucinich in the primary.

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%.

Kaptur's 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%.

Kaptur was seemingly placed in a vulnerable position when redistricting shifted her district to the west in order to take in territory previously in the neighboring heavily Republican OH's 5th congressional district.