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Rep. Marcy Kaptur, a fierce critic of free trade policies, has mounted a campaign for vice-chairwoman of the Democratic Caucus, an aide said Wednesday. That appears to leave the contest for the No. 5 Democratic House position as a race between Kaptur (D-Ohio) and Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-Calif.), assistant to the speaker and a former chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. Kaptur’s pitch to lawmakers focuses on her status as the senior woman in the House, her location in a battleground state and her criticism of free trade policies, said her spokeswoman Steve Fought. “She has a clear emphasis on economic issues, particularly trade,” Fought said. “Those issues need more emphasis in the Democratic Caucus.” Fought also noted that Kaptur wins by large margins in a district that is more conservative than many think. Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher, better known as “Joe the Plumber,” lives in her Toledo-based district. Kaptur decided to run over the weekend and started calling members Monday. Fought declined to list supporters, but said House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Jim Oberstar (D-Minn.) is her campaign co-chair. Kaptur was elected in 1982. She serves on the Appropriations Committee. Two centrist candidates, Reps. Joseph Crowley (D-N.Y.) and Kendrick Meek (D-Fla.), already withdrew, leading some to think Becerra had sewn up the race. In response to reports of other members of the Democratic Caucus running for vice chair, Becerra said, "I'm running for vice chair of the Dem Caucus not against any one of my colleagues. I respect and value each and every member of our Caucus and look forward to working with them and on their behalf." |
