Kathy Castor

Kathy Castor
Born	Katherine Anne Castor 20 8, 1966
Birthplace	Miami, Florida, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician, lawyer
Known for	U.S. Representative for Florida's 14th congressional district; Chair of the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis (2019–2023)
Education	Emory University (BA) Florida State University (JD)
Spouse(s)	William Lewis
Children	2
Website	[castor.house.gov Official site]

Katherine Anne Castor (born August 20, 1966) is an American politician and attorney who has served as the U.S. Representative for Florida's 14th congressional district since 2007. The district, which was numbered as the 11th district from 2007 to 2013, is centered on Tampa. A member of the Democratic Party, Castor has built a long career in public service rooted in the Tampa Bay area, beginning with her tenure on the Hillsborough County Commission before winning election to Congress in 2006. She is the daughter of Betty Castor, a former Florida state senator, president of the University of South Florida, and Florida education commissioner. Over the course of her congressional tenure, Castor has focused on issues including healthcare, energy policy, environmental protection, education, and economic development. She served as the inaugural chair of the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis from 2019 to 2023.

Early Life

Katherine Anne Castor was born on August 20, 1966, in Miami, Florida. She was raised in Tampa, where her family was prominent in public life and civic affairs. Her mother, Betty Castor, served as a Florida state senator, later became president of the University of South Florida, and held the position of Florida education commissioner. Her father, Don Castor, was a former Hillsborough County judge who died in 2014. Castor's sister, Karen Castor Dentel, has also been involved in public service.

Growing up in a household deeply engaged with Florida politics and education policy, Castor was exposed to public service from an early age. The family's roots in the Tampa Bay community helped shape her future career in law and government. Her mother's career trajectory — from the state legislature to the helm of a major public university — provided a model of civic engagement that would influence Castor's own path into elected office.

Education

Castor attended Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Emory College. She subsequently enrolled at the Florida State University College of Law in Tallahassee, where she earned her Juris Doctor degree. After completing law school, Castor focused her legal career on public administration law, working in roles that combined her legal training with her interest in public policy and government service.

Career

Early Legal and Professional Career

Following her graduation from Florida State University College of Law, Castor worked primarily in the area of public administration law. Her legal work positioned her within the intersection of government operations and legal compliance, providing a foundation for her subsequent career in elected office. During this period, she developed expertise in the regulatory and administrative frameworks that govern local and state government, experience that would prove relevant to her later work in both county government and Congress.

Hillsborough County Commission

Castor served as a member of the Hillsborough County Commission, representing the 1st district. She took office in January 2003 and served until January 2007, when she departed to take her seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. She succeeded Stacey Easterling on the commission, and upon her departure, Rose Ferlita succeeded her in the seat. During her time on the county commission, Castor gained experience in local governance issues including land use, transportation, public safety, and budgeting for Hillsborough County, one of the most populous counties in Florida.

U.S. House of Representatives

Election to Congress

Castor was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2006, winning the seat in what was then Florida's 11th congressional district. She succeeded Jim Davis, who vacated the seat to run for governor of Florida. Castor's campaign drew on her record of local public service on the Hillsborough County Commission and her family's long-standing ties to the Tampa Bay area. She won the general election and took office on January 3, 2007.

Following redistricting after the 2010 census, Castor's district was renumbered as Florida's 14th congressional district beginning with the 113th Congress in January 2013. The district remained based in Tampa and continued to encompass much of the same geographic area she had represented.

Subsequent Elections

Castor has been reelected to Congress multiple times since her initial 2006 victory. In some election cycles, she has faced relatively limited opposition. In 2014, Republican challenger Mike Prendergast withdrew from the race, giving Castor an easier path to reelection. In 2016, Christine Quinn sought to challenge Castor for the seat. Castor has continued to represent the 14th district into the late 2020s.

Legislative Work and Policy Positions

Throughout her congressional career, Castor has focused on a range of policy areas including healthcare, energy and climate policy, education, and economic issues affecting her Tampa Bay–area constituents.

Healthcare: Castor has been an active voice on healthcare policy in Congress. She has advocated for the Affordable Care Act and for measures to reduce healthcare costs for families and small businesses. In February 2026, Castor invited Tampa small business owner Linda Misner to attend the State of the Union address as her guest, highlighting the rising costs of health coverage faced by small business owners. Castor also cosponsored bipartisan legislation to combat HPV-associated cancers, joining with Representatives Don Bacon (R-NE) and Kim Schrier (D-WA) to reintroduce the Promoting Resources to Eliminate Cancer Act in December 2025.

Climate and Energy Policy: Castor has been one of the more prominent voices in the Democratic caucus on climate and environmental policy. In January 2019, she was named the inaugural chair of the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, a position she held until the committee was abolished in January 2023. In this role, she oversaw congressional efforts to investigate climate change and develop legislative responses to the issue. Even after the committee's dissolution, Castor has continued to speak out on environmental matters. In February 2026, she issued a statement condemning what she described as President Trump's decision to rescind Environmental Protection Agency regulations, characterizing it as a "gift to polluters."

Trade and Tariff Policy: In February 2026, Castor issued a public statement in response to the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling overturning tariffs imposed by the Trump administration. Castor stated: "Today is a good day for the American people who deserve relief from Trump's wallet-busting tariffs. Floridians are grappling with higher" costs, expressing support for the court's decision.

Financial Regulation: Castor was notable as one of the few Democrats to vote against the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) during the 2008 financial crisis. She claimed to be the only Democrat from Florida to vote against TARP, a claim that was examined by PolitiFact. This vote distinguished her from many members of her party at the time and reflected her concerns about the use of taxpayer funds to bail out financial institutions.

Immigration: In early 2026, Castor voted against an extension of funding for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), issuing a statement opposing what she described as "ICE and CBP brutality" under the Trump administration.

Tourism and Economic Development: Castor has worked on bipartisan economic development initiatives relevant to Florida's economy. In November 2025, she partnered with Republican Representative Gus Bilirakis to introduce legislation to fully fund Brand USA, the public-private partnership responsible for promoting international tourism to the United States. Tourism is a significant industry in the Tampa Bay region and throughout Florida.

Community Engagement

Castor has established programs to engage younger constituents in the political process. Her office created the Congressional Youth Cabinet, an initiative designed to provide Tampa Bay students with opportunities to discuss public policy issues relevant to them. The program reflects her interest in civic education and youth engagement in democratic processes.

Committee Assignments

During her tenure in Congress, Castor has served on several House committees. Her most prominent committee role was as the inaugural chair of the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, which she led from its establishment on January 3, 2019, until it was abolished on January 3, 2023. The select committee was created by the Democratic majority in the 116th Congress to examine climate change and develop policy recommendations.

Personal Life

Castor is married to William Lewis. The couple has two children. The family resides in the Tampa Bay area. Her sister, Karen Castor Dentel, has also been active in public affairs in Florida. Castor's father, Don Castor, who served as a Hillsborough County judge, died in 2014.

Castor comes from a family with deep connections to Florida politics and education. Her mother, Betty Castor, held multiple significant positions in Florida public life, including serving in the state senate, leading the University of South Florida as its president, and overseeing the state's education system as Florida's education commissioner. This multigenerational commitment to public service in Florida has been a defining feature of the Castor family.

Recognition

Castor's selection as the first chair of the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis in 2019 represented a significant leadership role within the Democratic caucus and recognized her advocacy on environmental and energy issues. The committee was a high-profile initiative of the Democratic majority in the 116th Congress, and Castor's appointment to lead it placed her at the center of congressional climate policy deliberations during the 116th and 117th Congresses.

Her bipartisan legislative efforts, such as the Brand USA tourism bill with Representative Bilirakis and the HPV cancer legislation with Representatives Bacon and Schrier, have demonstrated her ability to work across party lines on specific policy issues.

As a member of Congress who has represented the Tampa area for nearly two decades, Castor has been a consistent presence in local civic life. Her Congressional Youth Cabinet initiative reflects efforts to engage younger generations of constituents in the democratic process.

Legacy

Castor's career in public service, spanning from the Hillsborough County Commission to the U.S. House of Representatives, reflects a sustained engagement with the civic and political life of the Tampa Bay area. First elected to Congress in 2006, she has served through multiple presidential administrations and significant shifts in the political landscape, maintaining her seat in a district centered on Tampa.

Her role as the inaugural chair of the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis from 2019 to 2023 placed her at the forefront of congressional efforts to address climate change during a pivotal period for environmental policy. Although the committee was subsequently abolished when Republicans gained the House majority in 2023, the work produced during Castor's chairship contributed to the broader legislative debate on energy and climate issues.

As the daughter of Betty Castor, one of Florida's prominent political figures, Kathy Castor represents a continuation of a family tradition of public service in the state. Her career has encompassed local government, law, and federal legislation, with particular emphasis on healthcare, climate policy, and the economic interests of her constituents in Florida's 14th congressional district.