“I’m a happy person. God’s given me good health, and I know this is what I was meant to do. I want to continue to serve, if the people so choose.”

(Roll Call, 6/23/25)

“I say no more tax breaks to Billionaires and Millionaires. No Payola for US Senators. Working families are scraping the bottom of the barrel to buy groceries, and these senators are scraping the till. This is what happens when power serves itself rather than The People. ...”

(Press Release, 11/12/25 “GOP Legislation Enriches Senators, Sets Millions of Americans Adrift With Looming Health Care Crisis.”)

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To hear directly from Congresswoman Kaptur, watch this short video:

Marcy Kaptur Eviscerates Senate GOP For CR Provision Allowing 'Payoffs To U.S. Senators'

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BACKGROUND AND EXPERIENCE

Representative Marcy Kaptur is a populist from the heartland with strong working-class roots.

 

A Toledo, Ohio native and daughter of working-class parents, Kaptur has worked for the Democratic party since she was 13. She is the longest-serving woman in Congress, holding office continuously since 1983.

 

Kaptur has a BA from the University of Wisconsin and a Master's in urban planning from the University of Michigan. She did doctoral work at MIT in finance and urban planning. Early in her professional career, Kaptur was a planner in Toledo and later a domestic policy advisor in the Carter Administration.

 

In 2022, redistricting moved Rep. Kaptur from a safe Biden district (Biden +9) to a more competitive Trump district (Trump +1). Despite a tough election against MAGA candidate JR Majewski, she won by 56% to 43%. In 2024, she defeated Derek Merrin by .7% when Trump won by 11.2. Rep. Kaptur’s district boundaries have changed again making her seat even more competitive.

 

ON THE ISSUES

Kaptur’s top priority is strengthening the economy, particularly in defending Ohio to bring jobs home and to protect Ohio’s industries. She believes the economy should work for everyone.

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Kaptur has fought to protect Social Security from cuts and privatization. She will continue to advocate for affordability of health care, prescription drugs, and groceries, while working to create high-wage jobs. 

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Rep. Kaptur has detailed policy positions on immigration, energy, infrastructure and housing, reproductive rights, agriculture and nutrition, veterans’ rights, defense and foreign affairs, Great Lakes restoration, Wall Street accountability, and campaign finance reform.

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POLITICS IN OHIO

Departing from its long-standing role as a presidential battleground, Ohio has shifted solidly Republican since the first Trump administration. Today, all non-judicial statewide elected officials—including the governor—are Republicans, and the GOP holds supermajorities in both the state Senate and the state House. At the federal level, both U.S. Senators and 10 of Ohio’s 15 U.S. House members are Republicans. One Senate seat will be on the ballot in 2026, with former Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown challenging Jon Husted in a special election to fill the seat vacated by J.D. Vance.

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In 2025, the Republican-controlled state legislature undertook a high-profile redistricting process that placed three Democratic incumbents—Reps. Sykes, Landsman, and Kaptur—at risk.

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This process, now complete, has resulted in Rep. Kaptur’s race being rated Lean Republican by both the Cook Political Report and Sabato’s Crystal Ball, indicating that Republicans hold a small edge, though an upset remains possible. Prior to redistricting, both services rated the race as Toss-Up, highlighting the increased competitiveness of Ohio’s 9th District.

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The National Republican Congressional Committee has included Kaptur on its list of 25 vulnerable Democrats, a designation that will spur national fundraising and organizational support for her Republican opponent.

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At least three viable Republican challengers have emerged, including veteran state legislator Derek Merrin, whom Kaptur defeated in 2024. The Ohio primary is scheduled for May 5th.

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