Residence: Tampa
Born: August 20, 1966; Miami, Fla.
Religion: Presbyterian
Family: Husband, Bill Lewis; two children
Education: Emory U., B.A. 1988 (political science); Florida State U., J.D. 1991
Military Service: None
Career: Lawyer
Political Highlights: Democratic nominee for Fla. Senate, 2000; Hillsborough County Board of Commissioners, 2002-present

The political fortunes of Florida's Castor family have turned sharply for the better with Kathy Castor's victory. Just two years ago, her mother, Democrat Betty Castor, lost a Senate bid to Florida Republican Mel Martinez by 1 percentage point.

The representative-elect attributes some of her success to her family name: Castor's mother was a local officeholder, a state education commissioner and president of the University of South Florida before running for Senate, and her father was a county judge.

In Congress, Castor says she will keep in mind her mother's political advice to "speak out and stand up for your neighbors and your community."

One local issue is offshore drilling. Castor hopes to join the Resources Committee, noting that Florida has lacked a voice in that debate. The Transportation and Infrastructure and Energy and Commerce panels also are preferred assignments.

Castor has been working at the ground level on one issue, enrolling children ahead of next year's reauthorization of the federal Children's Health Insurance Program — a plan she says was based on a local version her mother helped create under the late Democratic Gov. Lawton Chiles.

Another priority is overhauling ethics rules and laws. Castor said Republicans "seem to be acting in a halfhearted fashion with some of their proposals."