Marcy Kaptur

Marcia Carolyn Kaptur, a member of the Democratic Party, has represented Ohio's 9th Congressional District since 1983, making her the longest-serving woman in the history of the United States Congress. Born and raised in Toledo, Ohio, she was the first in her family to attend college, earning a Bachelor of Arts in history from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1968 and a Master of Urban Planning from the University of Michigan in 1974. Before entering politics, she worked as an urban planner in Toledo and Chicago and served as a domestic policy advisor on urban affairs in the Jimmy Carter administration from 1977 to 1979. Kaptur was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1982, defeating a Republican incumbent. Throughout her tenure, she has served on the House Appropriations and Budget Committees, where she has focused on labor, trade, and veterans' affairs. One of her most significant legislative achievements was the 17-year effort she led to establish the National World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., which was dedicated in 2004. She has consistently been recognized as a champion for the industrial heartland and the working class, often prioritizing local economic interests and manufacturing.

Kaptur is widely considered an economic populist. She has been a staunch opponent of international free trade agreements, including NAFTA and the TPP, arguing they disadvantage American workers and contribute to the outsourcing of jobs. She also famously voted against the 2008 federal bank bailout. On healthcare, she supports expanding access and protecting the Affordable Care Act; while her historical voting record on reproductive rights was mixed, she currently opposes a national abortion ban and advocates for a woman's right to make her own health decisions. Her environmental policy focuses heavily on the protection of the Great Lakes ecosystem and the development of domestic renewable energy sources to ensure energy independence. Regarding immigration, Kaptur supports a combination of enhanced border security, including the use of technology and increased personnel, alongside comprehensive reform and an orderly legal immigration process. In foreign policy, she is a vocal supporter of security assistance for Ukraine and the protection of democratic growth abroad, often viewing international relations through the lens of national security and economic interdependence.