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Mike Capuano

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Mike Capuano
NameMike Capuano
CaptionOfficial portrait, 2009
StateMassachusetts
District8th
Term startJanuary 3, 1999
Term endJanuary 3, 2019
PredecessorJoseph P. Kennedy II
SuccessorAyanna Pressley
Office1Mayor of Somerville
Term start11990
Term end11999
Predecessor1Eugene C. Brune
Successor1Dorothy Kelly Gay
Birth date9 January 1952
Birth placeSomerville, Massachusetts, U.S.
PartyDemocratic
SpouseBarbara Teebagy, 1985
EducationDartmouth College (BA), Boston College (JD)

Mike Capuano is an American attorney and politician who served as the U.S. Representative for Massachusetts's 8th congressional district from 1999 to 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the Mayor of Somerville from 1990 to 1999. His tenure in the Congress was marked by a focus on progressive economic policies, transportation infrastructure, and constituent services.

Early life and education

Michael Everett Capuano was born in Somerville, Massachusetts, to a family with deep roots in the local community. He attended Somerville High School before earning a Bachelor of Arts degree from Dartmouth College in 1973. Following his undergraduate studies, Capuano returned to Massachusetts to obtain his Juris Doctor from the Boston College Law School in 1977. He was admitted to the Massachusetts Bar Association and began practicing law, which laid the groundwork for his subsequent career in public service and local government.

Political career

Capuano's political career began in the Massachusetts House of Representatives, where he served as a state representative from 1979 to 1984. After a period practicing law, he successfully ran for Mayor of Somerville in 1989, taking office in 1990. As mayor, he was credited with revitalizing the city's Union Square area, improving municipal services, and fostering economic development during a period of significant change for the Greater Boston region. His tenure as mayor established his reputation as a pragmatic and effective local executive.

U.S. House of Representatives

In 1998, Capuano was elected to the United States House of Representatives, succeeding Joseph P. Kennedy II in representing Massachusetts's 8th congressional district, which included parts of Boston, Cambridge, Somerville, and Chelsea. He served on several influential committees, including the House Committee on Financial Services and the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. A staunch liberal, he was a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and consistently advocated for healthcare reform, Wall Street reform, and increased funding for public transportation projects like the MBTA and the Green Line Extension.

2018 U.S. Senate election

Following the announcement that Senator Elizabeth Warren would seek re-election, Capuano chose not to challenge her. However, later in the 2018 election cycle, he entered the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Edward Markey, who was running for the other Senate seat. In a crowded primary field, he was defeated by the eventual nominee, Joe Kennedy III, grandson of his predecessor in the House. This primary loss, coupled with his own House primary defeat that same year to Ayanna Pressley, marked the end of his congressional career.

Post-congressional career

After leaving Congress in January 2019, Capuano returned to the practice of law. He joined the Boston-based firm Sullivan & Worcester as a partner in their Government Strategies practice group. In this role, he advises clients on matters related to public policy, legislative affairs, and government relations, leveraging his extensive experience in both local and federal government. He has also served on various civic and nonprofit boards within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Personal life

Mike Capuano is married to Barbara Teebagy, a former schoolteacher, and they have two sons. He remains a resident of Somerville, Massachusetts, the city where he was born, raised, and began his political career. An avid fan of Boston sports teams, he is known for his deep, lifelong connection to the communities of his district and his involvement in local Italian-American civic organizations.

Category:1952 births Category:Living people Category:American lawyers Category:Mayors of Somerville, Massachusetts Category:Members of the United States House of Representatives from Massachusetts Category:Dartmouth College alumni Category:Boston College Law School alumni