Marcy Kaptur

Ohio's 9th district

Portrait of Kaptur from the 1985 Congressional Pictorial Directory

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.[11] Despite being outspent by almost 3-1, she defeated Weber 58–39%.[12][13]

In 1984, Kaptur faced a strong challenge from Republican Frank Venner, longtime anchorman and weatherman at WTVG, but defeated him 55–44%,[14] even as Ronald Reagan carried the district. The district reverted to form, and 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 dispatched him fairly easily, 68–32%.

2006

Kaptur won her 13th term with 74% of the vote.[15]

2008

Kaptur won her 14th term with 74% of the vote.[16]

2010

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,[17][18][19] 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,[20] her closest victory since 1984.

2012

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 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. Kaptur won the primary with 56% of the vote to Kucinich's 40%.[21][22] In the general election, she won a 16th term against Wurzelbacher and Libertarian Sean Stipe.[23] The reconfigured 9th was no less Democratic than its predecessor, and Kaptur had effectively clinched reelection by defeating Kucinich in the primary.

2014

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.[24] Kaptur won 68-32%.

2016

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%.

2020

Kaptur's 2016 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 is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. She was once named "Most Valuable Member" of the House by The Nation. In 1996, Ross Perot asked Kaptur to be his vice-presidential running mate. She declined.[25]

Kaptur was a dedicated opponent of the America Invents Act that passed into law and changed the U.S. Patent System. She opposed changing from a "first to invent system" to a "first to file system," claiming it hurt small businesses[26] and saying, "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."[27]

Kaptur co-sponsored the Restoring America's Leadership in Innovation Act, which claims to strengthen inventors' property rights. The bill would remove the administrative review process that allows the public to challenge patent filings' validity; the process exists to prevent misuse of the patent system.[28]

Responding to Roger Durbin, a World War II veteran and constituent, Kaptur first suggested the creation of a National World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C.

The World War II National Memorial in Washington, D.C.

On December 10, 1987, Kaptur introduced the World War II Memorial Act in the House. 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 in 1989 and 1991 but these bills also failed to become law.

Kaptur introduced legislation for the fourth time on January 27, 1993. This time the legislation was voted on and passed in the House on May 10, 1993. After a companion bill was passed in the United States Senate, President Bill Clinton signed the bill into law on May 25, 1993. Durbin died before the memorial was built, but Kaptur and Durbin's granddaughter spoke at the memorial dedication ceremony on May 29, 2004.

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."[29]

Kaptur holds a 95% approval rating from NARAL. She supports Roe v. Wade, calling it "the law of the land" (Washington Journal, 9/17/2015). She has voted for some proposals to restrict access to abortion and opposed others. In January 2007, she was the only member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus to vote against federally funded embryonic stem-cell research.[30] Kaptur voted for the Stupak-Pitts Amendment, an amendment to America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009.[31] She was one of only 16 Democrats to vote for the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act on May 4, 2011.[32] Kaptur also voted to ban partial-birth abortions in 2000 and 2003.[33][34] She voted against the Child Custody Protection Act in 1999 and the Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act in 2005.[35][36] Kaptur voted against allowing privately funded abortions at overseas military hospitals twice in 1995, as well as in 1997, 1998 and 1999.[37][38][39][40][41] In 2005, Kaptur voted to lift the ban on abortions at overseas military hospitals.[42]

Kaptur is a staunch opponent of 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.

Kaptur expressed strong opposition to the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, which provided a bailout for U.S. banks.[43] Addressing Wall Street banks, she said, "You have perpetrated the greatest financial crimes ever on this American Republic." She added that the U.S. "doesn't need to bail you out. It needs to secure real assets and property. Federal regional reserve banks should have a new job to help renegotiate. American people should get equity in any companies. Major job creation to rebuild our infrastructure. Regulate. We need a modern Glass–Steagall Act. Refinancing must return a major share of profits to a new Social Security and Medicare lockbox."

Kaptur's opposition to the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 was highlighted in Michael Moore's 2009 documentary Capitalism: A Love Story.[44]

On April 12, 2011, Kaptur introduced H.R. 1489 to restore the Glass-Steagall Act, "To repeal certain provisions of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act and revive the separation between commercial banking and the securities business, in the manner provided in the Banking Act of 1933, the so-called 'Glass-Steagall Act', and for other purposes." There were 30 co-sponsors.[45]

Kaptur backed the American Clean Energy and Security Act in the U.S. House after she was able to insert an amendment that would authorize the Secretary of Energy to create power marketing authorities in regions where none exist. One such area would be the Great Lakes region. Kaptur said the St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation could administer up to $3.5 billion in borrowing authority to stimulate economic development through creation of green energy such as solar power and wind power. She said the $3.5 billion in borrowing authority would promote "regional equity" and serve as a powerful engine for job creation in a region that has suffered from high energy costs, especially expensive electricity.

Kaptur helped protect the rights of chicken farmers to speak up about mistreatment and unfair practices. She helped remove anti-Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (anti-GIPSA) language.[46][47]

Kaptur endorsed Senator Bernie Sanders in the Democratic primary, and introduced him at a rally in Toledo.[48] On October 3, 2016, she endorsed the nominee, Hillary Clinton, who had won Ohio and her district in the primary, at a rally at Toledo's Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza.

Kaptur has consistently supported military spending bills.

Kaptur called on Russian president Vladimir Putin to release imprisoned Ukrainian filmmaker Oleg Sentsov.[49]

• Committee on Appropriations
  • Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development (Chairwoman)
  • Subcommittee on Defense
  • Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies

• Congressional Arts Caucus[50]
• Congressional Ukrainian Caucus (co-chair)
• Congressional Caucus on Poland
• Congressional Caucus on Central and Eastern Europe
• Congressional Caucus on Hungary
• Congressional United Kingdom Caucus[51]
• House Baltic Caucus[52]
• Climate Solutions Caucus[53]
• Blue Collar Caucus