A Leader Who Makes a Difference for Northeast Ohio
Betty Sutton has spent her life fighting to make the lives of Ohioans better. Her work both as a labor lawyer and as a public servant has earned her a reputation as an independent leader and tenacious advocate for the people of Ohio. She has made a career putting the greater good of the many ahead of special interests of the few.

Betty has never been afraid to take on tough fights and to do what is right, even in the face of unbeatable odds. In 1997, Sutton fought tirelessly from her post on the Commerce and Labor Committee, against attacks on workers compensation benefits. After the Republican-controlled legislature passed the harmful bill, Betty worked along side workers in Northeast Ohio and across the state to repeal the anti-worker law through a referendum.

While in the Ohio State House in 1996, Sutton was the only person to vote against a bill that contained a perk for a millionaire developer. The amendment -- what Sutton called "corporate welfare" was finally removed by the Senate despite the overwhelming House approval.

During her eight-year tenure in the Ohio State House, Sutton became a leader on a wide range of issues, including health care, education, pensions and retirement, and consumer protection to make government more accessible and effective for Northeast Ohioans.

Betty's passion and dedication to take on tough fights, stand up for what is right, and protect and increase Ohioans' standard of living earned her the respect of her colleagues and constituents as well as awards for Legislator of the Year by the Ohio Academy of Trial Lawyers and the Friend of Education Award from the Barberton Education Association.

A Leader Who Fights for Her Constituents
Sutton worked to get to the U.S. House of Representatives so she could make the lives of Northeast Ohioans better. Betty brings Midwestern values and common sense to Washington that reflects the region's hard-working families, fighting spirit, and moral convictions.

In Washington, Sutton helped lead the effort on ethics reform so that Northeast Ohioans will see policies that benefit all Americans, not special interests and the privileged few. Sutton has dedicated herself to doing everything possible to revitalize Northeast Ohio's economy in order to protect the region's hard-working families and make their day to day lives better.

Sutton's positions on the following House committees provide her with important opportunities to serve Ohio and fight for the initiatives Northeast Ohioans need:

The House Rules Committee

The House Judiciary Committee

These Committees have helped her play a leading role in helping pass legislation that will help provide affordable healthcare for our children and seniors, make education more affordable and accessible, and protect Ohio's hard working families' right to unionize.

Betty has also been a leader in developing a new trade model that will work for Ohio's working families and businesses -- a key component of helping revitalize Northeast Ohio. She is focused on working with local, state, and national leaders to help develop new fair trade policies and foster investment in technology and innovation that will create high-quality, high-paying jobs for Northeast Ohioans.

Just as she has always done, Betty will stand up for what is right, no matter how great a fight and will devote herself to initiatives solutions that will make a positive difference for her constituents.

A Leader with 13th District Roots
Betty has long served the people of Northeast Ohio in the State Legislature, the Summit County Council, Barberton City Council, and currently, in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Betty brings common sense and a keen understanding of the needs of her constituents to Washington, DC. She was born and raised in Barberton, Ohio as the youngest of six children. Her mother was clerk-treasurer for the city library and her father worked in the local boiler maker factory. Betty attended public schools and graduated from Kent State University, where she studied political science.

She then enrolled in Law School at the University of Akron, where she received a Dean's Club Scholarship and earned both the American Jurisprudence Award and Federal Bar Association Award for Outstanding Performance in Constitutional Law. During her first year of law school, following the principles of public service instilled by her parents, Betty ran for and won an at-large seat on the Barberton City Council.

A year later, when a vacancy occurred on the Summit County Council, Betty was chosen to fill the vacancy in the at-large position, where she had the opportunity to serve all the residents of Summit County. In her second year on the County Council, Betty was elected by her peers to serve as the Vice President of the Council.

Betty later went on to serve eight years in the Ohio State House of Representatives before continuing her advocacy on behalf of Ohioans in the private sector as a labor lawyer with the firm of Faulkner, Muskovitz & Phillips LLP (FMP). Congresswoman Sutton's work representing first responders, teachers, nurses and other workers, fighting for fair wages, safe working conditions and family-sustaining benefits led her to run for the open Congressional seat in the 13th District in 2006.

Congresswoman Sutton resides in Copley Township with her husband Doug and their dog Cody.