Capri Cafaro
{{short description|American politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name=Capri Cafaro
| image = Capri Cafaro 2011-03-08.jpg
| state_senate=Ohio
| state=Ohio
| district=32nd
| term_start=January 2, 2007
| term_end=December 31, 2016
| preceded=Marc Dann
| succeeded=Sean O'Brien
| birth_date={{birth date and age|1977|11|21}}
| birth_place=Youngstown, Ohio, U.S.
| death_date=
| death_place=
| party=Democratic
| residence=Hubbard, Ohio, U.S.
| alma_mater=Stanford University, Georgetown University
| spouse=
| profession=Legislator
}}
Capri Silvestri Cafaro (born November 21, 1977) is a former Democratic member of the Ohio Senate, representing the 32nd District from 2007 to 2016. From the Mahoning Valley, Cafaro served three terms as an Ohio State Senator (2007 to 2016), including a stint as Minority Leader from 2009 to 2012. Her district included all of Trumbull County, Ashtabula County and portions of Geauga County (including the City of Chardon; but excluding Chardon Township).
She is a TV personality, appearing as a contributor on Fox News Channel, primarily as a semi-regular co-host of the afternoon talk show Outnumbered.
Early life, family and education
Cafaro was born and raised in Youngstown, Ohio. Her father is shopping mall developer John Cafaro.{{cite news| url= https://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2010/02/state_sen_capri_cafaros_dad_ac.html| website= Cleveland.com | title=State Sen. Capri Cafaro's dad admits making illegal contribution to her unsuccessful bid for Congress| date=February 23, 2010| first= Peter| last= Krouse | accessdate= October 13, 2023}} She is of Italian descent.
She attended Youngstown private schools Kennedy School and then Ursuline High School at age 12. By age 19, she graduated from Stanford University{{Cite web| url= https://www.clevelandjewishnews.com/archives/capri-cafaro-brings-enthusiastic-challenge/article_1b8f94fd-20d9-526b-8085-602adc532936.html| title=Capri Cafaro brings enthusiastic challenge|last= Stratton |first=Ted S. |website=Cleveland Jewish News |language=en|access-date=2019-01-29}} with a BA in American Studies{{Cite web |url= http://www.womenonthemap.org/career-spotlight/2017/10/17/careerspotlight-capri-cafaro-former-democratic-member-of-the-ohio-senate-and-current-executive-in-residence-at-american-university|title=#CareerSpotlight: Capri Cafaro, former Democratic member of the Ohio Senate and current Executive in Residence at American University|website=Women on the Map |language=en-US |access-date=2019-01-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190130053326/http://www.womenonthemap.org/career-spotlight/2017/10/17/careerspotlight-capri-cafaro-former-democratic-member-of-the-ohio-senate-and-current-executive-in-residence-at-american-university|archive-date=2019-01-30|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|last=Hutchison|first=John Arthur|title=Race for the 14th: Capri Cafaro |url=https://www.news-herald.com/news/race-for-the-14th-capri-cafaro/article_32441070-712f-5627-b569-2f0535b0acbf.html|access-date=2020-10-28|website=The News-Herald|language=en}} and from Georgetown University with a MALS in International Studies.{{Cite web|date=22 September 2012|title=Capri Cafaro, 2012 candidate State Senate 32nd District|url=https://www.news-herald.com/news/capri-cafaro-2012-candidate-state-senate-32nd-district/article_97b0c293-e3f7-571b-8802-dac1d3c59e8b.html|access-date=2020-10-28|website=The News-Herald|language=en}}
Career
Cafaro served on the Trumbull County Senior Services Advisory Council and was a State Policy Liaison for Ohio with the National Patient Advocate Foundation. She was also a State Advocate Representative for the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare and served as a councilor for the Medicare Rights Center. Cafaro has also acted as an Economic Policy Associate for Global Action on Aging, an NGO with consultative status at the United Nations.
As a political novice, Cafaro won a surprise victory in the 2004 Democratic primary for Ohio's 14th congressional district, topping a five-candidate field, which included 2002 nominee Dale V. Blanchard, columnist Herb Hammer, U.S. Marine Charles L. Wolfe, and Ohio state Rep. Ed Jerse (who received the endorsement of the Akron Beacon Journal newspaper). Cafaro polled 54% of the vote, while Jerse, the second-place finisher, managed 19%. In the general election, however, she lost to Republican Steve LaTourette.{{Cite news |title=A Million Bucks Didn't Buy Much for Free-Spending Candidates | date= November 6, 2004 |language=en-US|work=The New York Times |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/06/politics/campaign/a-million-bucks-didnt-buy-much-for-freespending.html|access-date=2020-10-28|issn=0362-4331}}
Cafaro again ran for the Democratic nomination in the open 13th Congressional District in 2006, placing second in a nine-candidate primary, behind future Congresswoman Betty Sutton. That seat was vacated by U.S. Representative Sherrod Brown, Democrat who replaced Republican Senator Mike DeWine in the U.S. Senate after defeating him on November 7, 2006.{{citation needed|date=July 2020}}
As of 2017, Cafaro was the Executive in Residence at American University's School of Public Affairs and gave commentary on political events as a contributor on Fox News.{{Cite web| url= http://washingtonlife.com/2017/08/09/whos-next-capri-cafaro/|title=Who's Next: Capri Cafaro|date=2017-08-09|website= WashingtonLife.com |language=en-US|access-date=2019-01-29}}
Ohio Senate
In 2007, Cafaro was appointed to the 32nd District of the Ohio Senate to replace Marc Dann after Dann won the Ohio Attorney General's race on November 7, 2006.{{cite web |url=http://www.buckeyestateblog.com/time_to_weigh_in_on_the_cafaro_issue/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120723134913/http://www.buckeyestateblog.com/time_to_weigh_in_on_the_cafaro_issue/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-07-23 |title=Time to weigh in on the Cafaro issue |access-date=2011-02-11 |date=2006-11-21 |work=Buckeye State Blog }}
One year after becoming a member of the Ohio General Assembly, Cafaro secured a leadership position as the assistant minority whip for the Senate Democrats.{{cite news | first = Marc | last = Kovac | title = Columbus Cafaro tapped as assistant minority whip | date = January 11, 2008 | publisher = Record Publishing Company | url = http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/3124451 | work = The Record Hub | access-date = 2011-02-11}}
In 2008, Cafaro was elected to her first full term after running unopposed in the general election. Soon after, she was elected Minority Leader by her colleagues for the 128th General Assembly.{{cite web | title = State Sen. Capri Cafaro Named Senate Minority Leader | access-date = 2011-02-11 | date = 2008-11-13 | work = Ohio Daily Blog | url = http://www.ohiodailyblog.com/content/state-sen.-capri-cafaro-named-senate-minority-leader | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110728145024/http://www.ohiodailyblog.com/content/state-sen.-capri-cafaro-named-senate-minority-leader | archive-date = 2011-07-28 | url-status = dead }} Cafaro again served as Minority Leader in the 129th General Assembly.{{cite web |url=http://www.progressohio.org/blog/2010/11/senator-cafaro-re-elected-senate-democratic-leader.html |title=Senator Cafaro Re-Elected Senate Democratic Leader |access-date=2011-02-11 |date=2010-11-21 |work=ProgressOhio |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101209165513/http://www.progressohio.org/blog/2010/11/senator-cafaro-re-elected-senate-democratic-leader.html |archive-date=2010-12-09 }} Cafaro would serve as Leader for three years until she stepped down and was replaced in 2012 as Ohio Senate Minority Leader by Senator Eric Kearney. She won a second full term to her Senate seat in the 2012 general election, defeating Republican Nancy McArthur 67% to 33%.Husted, Jon [https://archive.today/20121204180223/http://www2.sos.state.oh.us/pls/enrpublic/f?p=212:17:1619888371307304::NO::P17_OTC:SE 2012 general election results] (2012-11-06)
Cafaro played a prominent role in the Medicaid expansion efforts in Ohio,{{cite news |url=http://www.cleveland.com/open/index.ssf/2015/01/senate_democrats_want_minimum.html |title=Senate Democrats want minimum wage increase, affordable college |work=Cleveland Plain Dealer |location=Cleveland |date=2015-01-21 |access-date=2015-01-22 }} and has sought to codify the expansion permanently in Ohio law.{{cite news |last=Siegel |first=Jim |url=http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2015/01/22/democrats-in-ohio-senate-are-pushing-limited-agenda.html |title=Democrats in Ohio Senate lay out agenda |work=Columbus Dispatch |location=Columbus |date=2015-01-21 |access-date=2015-01-22 }} She has offered legislation numerous times to do so.{{cite news |url=http://www.vindy.com/news/2015/jan/22/state-dems-outline-priorities/ |title=Senate Democrats outline legislative priorities |work=Youngstown Vindicator |location=Youngstown, Ohio |date=2015-01-21 |access-date=2015-01-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150122232547/http://www.vindy.com/news/2015/jan/22/state-dems-outline-priorities/ |archive-date=2015-01-22 |url-status=dead }}
Cafaro did not seek reelection to the Ohio state senate in 2016 due to term limits.{{Cite web|url=http://www.vindy.com/news/2015/dec/10/sen-cafaro-wont-endorse-candidate-to-rep/|title=Three attorneys are running for the 32nd Ohio Senate District seat next year|last=Skolnick|first=David|website=vindy.com|access-date=2019-01-29}}
Election history
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%"
|+ Ohio Senate 32nd District: Results 2008 to 2012 !|Year ! !|Democrat !|Votes !|Pct ! !|Republican !|Votes !|Pct |
| 2008
| |{{Party shading/Democratic}} |Capri Cafaro |{{Party shading/Democratic}} align="right" |106,178 |{{Party shading/Democratic}} |100.00% | | | | |
| 2012
| |{{Party shading/Democratic}} |Capri Cafaro |{{Party shading/Democratic}} align="right" |96,426 |{{Party shading/Democratic}} |66.95% | |{{Party shading/Republican}} |Nancy McArthur |{{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |47,611 |{{Party shading/Republican}} |33.05% |
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://asp.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/CandidateProfile.aspx?ci=30965&oi=H USA Today - Campaign 2004: Capri Silvestri Cafaro (D)] profile
- [http://ohioladiesgallery.org/PublicOfficial.aspx?personId=97123 Capri Cafaro] at the Ohio Ladies' Gallery, 2010
{{OhioSen32ndDst}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cafaro, Capri}}
Category:Democratic Party Ohio state senators
Category:21st-century members of the Ohio General Assembly
Category:Georgetown University alumni
Category:Stanford University alumni
Category:Politicians from Youngstown, Ohio
Category:Women state legislators in Ohio
Category:21st-century American women politicians
Category:Candidates in the 2004 United States elections