Democrat Marcy Kaptur has won reelection to U.S. House in Ohio’s 9th Congressional District.
The results speak to Marcy Kaptur’s focus on advancing the priorities of the “Big Middle” of the American people, and to Northwest Ohio voters’ rejection of radical political ideologies, according to a press release from her office.
“Northwest Ohio is home to the hardworking folks who make, build, and grow America – and I am honored to continue serving them in Congress,” Kaptur said. “There has been too much division in our nation of late, and our focus must be on mending the fabric of our politics and our society.
“For the future of our great nation, I will work with anyone and everyone to put Northwest Ohio first.”
The new Ohio 9th Congressional District spans Northwest Ohio, including Wood, Defiance, Williams, Fulton, Lucas, Ottawa, Erie and Sandusky counties. During redistricting, the Republican-led Ohio State Legislature crafted the district to heavily favor Republicans in the hopes of ousting the longest serving woman in the history of the U.S. House of Representatives.
The Wood County vote was Kaptur with 13,500 votes (56.87%) and Republican J.R. Majewski with 10,239 votes (43.13%).
Kaptur, who faced her toughest challenge since first being elected in 1982, beat Majewski, a political newcomer backed by former President Donald Trump, in a congressional district redrawn this year and considered a political toss-up.
Majewski was forced to defend himself in September after the Associated Press reported that he had misrepresented key elements of his Air Force service, including his story of being a combat veteran who served a tour of duty under “tough” circumstances in Afghanistan.
He denied lying about his record and said he proudly served his country. But the National Republican Campaign Committee canceled TV ads it had booked to support his campaign.
Kaptur, a popular Democrat in her hometown of Toledo, seized on that and other questions about Majewski’s resume. She branded him as a past devotee of QAnon conspiracy theories who passed by police barricades during last year’s deadly insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.
She also distanced herself from President Joe Biden during the campaign, releasing an ad that said she didn’t work for him. Majewski’s campaign sought to link Kaptur to the president’s sinking approval ratings and inflation at every turn while also highlighting his backing from Trump.
Upon being sworn in for the 118th Congress on Jan. 3, Kaptur will become the longest serving woman in the history of the U.S. Congress.
(The Associated Press contributed to this story.)
