Kathy Castor

Kathy Castor
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida's 14th district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2013
Preceded by	Connie Mack IV
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida's 11th district
In office January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2013
Preceded by	Jim Davis
Succeeded by	Rich Nugent
Personal details
Born	Katherine Anne Castor (1966-08-20) August 20, 1966 Miami, Florida
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	William Lewis
Residence	Tampa, Florida
Alma mater	Emory University (B.A.) Florida State University (J.D.)
Profession	Attorney
Religion	Presbyterian

Katherine Anne "Kathy" Castor (born August 20, 1966) is the U.S. Representative for Florida's 14th congressional district, serving in Congress since 2007. She is a member of the Democratic Party.

The district covers most of the city of Tampa, most of south St. Petersburg, a portion of unincorporated Hillsborough County, and a small section of the city of Temple Terrace.

Early life

Castor was born in Miami, Florida. Her mother, Betty Castor (née Elizabeth Bowe), is a former University of South Florida President, a former Hillsborough County Commissioner, a former Florida State Senator, a former Florida Education Commissioner, and a 2004 United States Senate candidate. Her father, Donald F. "Don" Castor, is a Hillsborough County judge. She was raised in Tampa. She holds a bachelors degree in political science from Emory University (1988) and a J.D. from Florida State University College of Law (1991). She is a member of Delta Delta Delta sorority.

Legal career

Castor began her legal career as Assistant General Counsel to the Florida Department of Community Affairs where she enforced growth management laws throughout the state of Florida. She is the former President of the Florida Association of Women Lawyers and partner in a statewide law firm. In 2005, Castor was named as the Tampa Bay Business Journal's Woman of the Year in government.

Early political career

Castor served on the Hillsborough County Board of Commissioners from 2002 through 2006. Her primary focus was on health care. She worked to stop seniors and other patients in Hillsborough County’s health care plan from being forced into HMOs.

U.S. House of Representatives

Committee assignments

• Committee on the Budget
• Committee on Energy and Commerce
  • Subcommittee on Energy and Power
  • Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations

Party leadership

• House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee

On September 29, 2008, Castor voted against the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008. She was the only Florida Democrat to do so. On October 3, 2008, Castor was once again the only Florida Democrat (and one of 63 House Democrats) to vote against the bailout bill.

Political campaigns

2006

See also: United States House of Representatives elections in Florida, 2006

The House seat in the district became open when five-term Democrat Jim Davis (D) chose to run for governor (he lost to Charlie Crist in November).

Castor won the September 5, 2006 Democratic primary, defeating challengers Al Fox, Lesley "Les" Miller, Scott Farrell, and Michael Steinberg. She received 54% of the vote, a full 20 points ahead of state Senate Minority Leader Les Miller in the five-way race.

Eddie Adams Jr., an architect and former hospital laboratory technologist, was the only Republican to file. Castor was endorsed by the pro-choice political action committee EMILY's List, the League of Conservation Voters, Oceans Champions, The Tampa Tribune, The St. Petersburg Times and The Bradenton Herald.

Castor handily won the 2006 November general election, 70% to 30%--becoming the first woman to represent Tampa and St. Petersburg in Congress, as well as only the third representative of this Tampa-based district since its creation in 1963 (it was the 10th District from 1963–67, the 6th from 1967–73, the 7th from 1973–93 and has been the 11th since 1993). However, it was generally believed that she'd already assured herself of victory by winning the primary. The 11th has long been reckoned as the only safe Democratic seat on Florida's Gulf Coast, and Republicans had only made three serious runs at the district since its creation.

2008

See also: United States House of Representatives elections in Florida, 2010#District 11

Castor was reelected in November 2008 71% to 29% in a rematch with Adams.

2010

See also: United States House of Representatives elections in Florida, 2010#District 11

Castor was challenged by Republican nominee Mike Prendergast, a career military officer who retired in 2008 as a Colonel in the United States Army. Castor was reelected in November 2010 with 60% of the vote to Prendergast's 40%. Though Castor won convincingly, it was still the best showing for a Republican in this district since 1994.

2012

See also: United States House of Representatives elections in Florida, 2012#District 14

After the 2010 census the State of Florida gained two more congressional seats. As a result, Castor's district was redistricted from the 11th to the 14th. Florida's new 14th district voting age population is 46.5% non-Hispanic Whites (single race), 24% non-Hispanic Blacks (includes multirace), 24% Hispanic (excludes Hispanic Blacks), 1.6% Hispanic Blacks (includes multirace), and 3.8% other races (non-Hispanic)

Personal life

Castor is married to William "Bill" Lewis and they have two daughters.

External links

• Representative Kathy Castor official U.S. House site
• Castor for Congress official campaign site
• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Profile at Ballotpedia
• Congressional profile at GovTrack
• Congressional profile at OpenCongress
• Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
• Financial information (federal office) at OpenSecrets.org
• Staff salaries, trips and personal finance (federal office) at LegiStorm.com
• Issue positions and quotes at On the Issues
• Voting record at The Washington Post
• Appearances on C-SPAN programs
• Collected news and commentary at The Washington Post
• Delta Delta Delta Distinguished Alumnae Profile

United States House of Representatives
Preceded by Jim Davis	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida's 11th congressional district 2007-2013	Succeeded by Rich Nugent
Preceded by Connie Mack IV	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida's 14th congressional district 2013-Present	Succeeded by Incumbent
United States order of precedence
Preceded by Vern Buchanan R-Florida	United States Representatives by seniority 208th	Succeeded by Yvette Clarke D-New York