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Senator Shelley Moore Capito Biograph

Senator Shelley Wellons Moore Capito ® is an American politician and educator. She has been serving as a U.S. Senator from West Virginia under the Republicans since 2015. She was a University counselor and also a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Capito was born in Glen Dale, West Virginia, on November 26, 1953. She attended the Holton-Arms School. She earned her Bachelor’s degree from Duke University in 1975. She also received a Master’s degree in Education from the University of Virginia in 1976.

She worked as a career counselor at West Virginia State University. She also worked as the director of the educational information center for the West Virginia Board of Regents.

About Senator Shelley Moore Capito

After representing West Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District in the U.S. House for 14 years (2001 to 2015), Shelley Moore Capito became the first female elected to represent West Virginia in the U.S. Senate in 2014. In her historic victory, she won all 55 counties and received over 62% of the vote. Her victory helped Republicans win all three U.S. House seats and for the first time in over 80 years, Republican majorities in both chambers of the state legislature.

Senator Capito regularly travels the state just like she did her House district. In Washington, she is a fierce advocate for the needs of the Mountain State and fights to improve the lives of West Virginians. In the five short years since she was elected to the Senate, she has been a driving force behind legislation increasing cancer survival rates among children, combating the growing crisis of women’s deaths related to pregnancy and childbirth complications, ending the curse of Alzheimer’s disease, and investing in research to explore innovative treatments and cures for diseases.

As a key member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Capito has helped double West Virginia’s share of federal funding to treat those suffering from opioid addiction and secured investment to bring much-needed jobs to the state’s distressed communities. She is the Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security where she oversees funding for the entire department including Customs and Boarder Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Coast Guard.

Senator Capito is a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee where she is working to ensure that West Virginia coal and gas continue to supply America’s energy. She serves as the chair of the Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure allowing her to help improve West Virginia’s infrastructure and strengthen regional economic development programs including the Appalachian Regional Commission. From her seat on the Senate Commerce Committee, she has worked to increase broadband access to help small businesses create jobs and students to learn. While Shelley was born and raised in Glen Dale, WV, she resides in Charleston, WV with her husband Charles L. Capito, Jr. The couple have three children and six grandchildren. She holds a B.S. in Zoology from Duke University and a M. Ed. from the University of Virginia.

Senator Shelley Moore Capito Career

Capito started her political career in 1996. She was elected to the West Virginia House of Delegates. She served till 2001. In 2000, Capito ran for a seat at the U.S. House of Representatives. She defeated Democratic nominee Humphreys and assumed the seat the following year. She was re-elected in 2002 and served till 2014.

Before the end of her final tenure at the House of Reps, Capito announced her candidacy for a seat at the U.S. Senate. She won the Republican primary with 87% votes. She also defeated Democratic incumbent Tennant in the general election. She was re-elected in 2020.

Senator Shelley Moore Capito Accomplishments

Capito has worked on many legislations in service of her people. She is a stern advocate of human and LGBT rights. She is working alongside Senator Kirsten to reduce domestic violence. She also worked on updating the Congressional Accountability Act. She also announced $899,927 for the Foundation of Rape Information and Services.

One of her top priorities is the improvement of the state’s economic status. She has worked hard to create new job opportunities while supporting existing ones. She has also ensured the availability of funding for various sectors of the state.

Capito is a key figure in the energy sector. She is an advocate of policies that push for more reliable energy production in West Virginia. She has also worked to create manufacturing jobs to boost the state’s economy. Capito’s administration also focused on infrastructural development. She is also a notable figure in the promotion of cyber security and broadband expansion.

In the healthcare sector, Capito voted in favor of the Children’s Health Insurance Program. She also voted for the expansion of the Act, which will cover more than 4 million children.

She supported the Affordable Care Act in 2014. She also cosponsored the Community Health Investment, Modernization, and Excellent Act. The Act is aimed at providing federal funding to community health centers.

Senator Shelley Moore Capito Criticisms

Senator Capito got criticized because of matters related to her father – Governor Arch Moore – who served years in the federal prison. Moore got under fire for involving himself in a federal scandal. He was convicted of a felony and pleaded guilty. Understandably some moderate voters blamed her for blocking motions to investigate the January 6 insurrection at Capitol Hill.

Senator Shelley Moore Capito Net Worth

According to OpenSecrets, Senator Shelley Moore Capito’s estimated net worth is $2.1 million.

Final Thoughts

Senator Capito is a moderate politician with reputable political achievements. She has worked across both sides of the aisle to provide bipartisan solutions to her people’s challenges. She has also worked to improve security, healthcare, and the economy.

But, her father’s past legacies continue to haunt her political career. She also got criticized for voting against the creation of an independent commission for the January 6 insurrection.

References

• rollcall
• politico
• usnews
• nationaljournal