Michael E. Capuano

Who is Michael E. Capuano?

Michael Everett "Mike" Capuano is an American politician who serves as the U.S. Representative for Massachusetts's 7th congressional district. A member of the Democratic Party, his district includes the northern three-fourths of Boston, as well as Somerville and Cambridge. Prior to being elected to Congress he served as an Alderman and later Mayor of Somerville.

He was born and raised in Somerville, and after graduating from Dartmouth College and Boston College Law School, he worked as an attorney and Somerville alderman. After losing two elections for Mayor in 1979 and 1981, he went to work as legal counsel for the Massachusetts General Court. He ran for a Mayor a third time in 1989 and won, serving from 1990 to 1999.

In 1998 he navigated a crowded Democratic primary to replace Joseph Kennedy II in Congress and has since been re-elected six times. He represented the state's 8th district until it was redrawn in 2013 into the 7th district. In Congress he is a staunch liberal and member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.