U.S. Representative Marcy Kaptur (OH-09) is the longest-serving female member in Congressional history. She comes from a Polish-American family with working class roots and still lives in the same Toledo house where she grew up. Prior to being elected to Congress in 1983, Kaptur used her experience in urban planning at the county and national levels, becoming an advisor to President Carter. She ran her first campaign while also working on her PhD. Born and raised in Toledo, she has brought her understanding of the agricultural and industrial nature of Northwest Ohio and its diverse populations to key committee assignments on Appropriations and Budget.

Rep. Kaptur played a leadership role in bringing the National World War II Memorial to the Mall in Washington. As a senior member of the powerful Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, she has secured billions in federal funding to protect Lake Erie and spearheaded the creation of the Great Lakes Authority to drive regional environmental and economic solutions. She is also an active member of a number of special interest caucuses including Automotive, Women's Issues, Competitiveness, Soybeans, Steel, Human Rights, and Ukraine.