Kathy Castor
Kathy Castor | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida's 11th district | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2007 | |
| Preceded by | Jim Davis |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Katherine Anne Castor August 20, 1966 Miami, Florida |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | William Lewis |
| Residence(s) | Tampa, Florida |
| Alma mater | Emory University (B.A.) Florida State University (J.D.) |
| Profession | Attorney |
Katherine Anne "Kathy" Castor (born August 20, 1966) is the U.S. Representative for Florida's 11th congressional district, serving 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 small portion of unincorporated Hillsborough County, a small section of the city of Temple Terrace and a small section of Manatee County.
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,[1] 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.
 | This article contains wording that promotes the subject in a subjective manner without imparting real information. (April 2009) |
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
Party leadership
On September 29, 2008, Castor voted against the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008.[2] 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
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,[3] 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
Castor was reelected in November 2008 71% to 29% in a rematch with Adams.
2010
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
After the 2010 census the State of Florida gained two more congressional seats. As a result Castor's district will be 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.
References
- ^ http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~battle/reps/castor.htm
- ^ "Bailout Roll Call" (PDF). 2008-09-29. Retrieved September 29, 2008.
- ^ Welcome to Adams for U.S. Congress
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
- Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
- Profile at Vote Smart
- Delta Delta Delta Distinguished Alumnae Profile
- Articles with peacock terms from April 2009
- Living people
- 1966 births
- American Presbyterians
- Emory University alumni
- Florida State University alumni
- People from Tampa, Florida
- People from Miami, Florida
- Members of the United States House of Representatives from Florida
- Seminole Caucus
- Florida Democrats
- Female members of the United States House of Representatives
- Women in Florida politics