Jacob Ogles
From landing infrastructure dollars to helping constituents access hurricane relief, Tampa Bay benefits from a strong contingent in Washington. And arguably, no one has served the region more reliably than U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor.
Whether she’s advocating for economic engines like Port Tampa Bay, the Tampa International Airport, or MacDill Air Force base, or she’s helping guide environmental and energy policy to protect America’s national resources coast to coast, Castor consistently puts herself in a central position in policy conversations. That’s not for time in the spotlight, but so she can be as effective as possible.
The record of results landed her this year on the list of Tampa Bay’s Most Powerful Politicians in a higher spot than any other federal official. That’s especially impressive as the only one of Tampa Bay’s U.S. representatives in the Democratic minority.
Of course, with Democratic voters energized ahead of next year’s Midterms after President Donald Trump’s return to the White House, many expect House Democrats to reclaim a majority. If that happens, Castor will be positioned for a strong leadership position.
The Tampa Democrat also serves as the ranking Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Energy Subcommittee, where she has advocated for policies that reduce energy costs and enhance sustainability efforts nationwide. She will likely seize the gavel if Democrats have a successful election next year.
“Kathy gets results that directly improve lives here at home,” said Reggie Cardozo, President of The Public Square.
“With her party on track to take the majority, Castor is positioned to chair or serve as ranking member of key subcommittees — specifically the Energy Subcommittee of the House Energy & Commerce Committee, that means greater access to shaping federal funding and legislative priorities that directly benefit our region — whether it’s securing clean energy investments, hurricanes resilience funding, Medicaid expansion, or infrastructure grants. In short: when Kathy rises in leadership, Tampa Bay rises with her.”
Already, she has used her position to show the negative impacts of the Trump administration’s drive for government efficiency and what that has cost Tampa Bay. She’s lobbying the Labor Department now to reconsider closing its local Job Corps Center in Pinellas County.
The Congresswoman has been an outspoken voice against cuts at the Federal Emergency Management Agency, a particularly consequential change in the wake of one of the worst hurricane seasons for Tampa Bay in living memory.
However, even while lobbying against that change, she helped facilitate federal relief after multiple storms hit the region in 2024 and has continued to pursue reimbursements and rapid support for affected communities.
“There is more than one reason Congresswoman Castor consistently outperforms the top of the ticket. While the Tampa Bay community faced one of the most devastating hurricane seasons of our lifetime, she canvassed the streets of those impacted, supported recovery efforts, and delivered disaster relief,” said DeWayne Mallory, director of local and community affairs for RSA Consulting Group.
“Never one to try and claim the credit for herself, the Congresswoman has gone out of her way to recognize community leaders and everyday citizens who stepped up after Hurricanes Helene and Milton.”
It’s no surprise that Castor has proved to be a dedicated public servant. She was surrounded growing up by revered elected officials from a prior generation. Her mother, Betty Castor, served as Florida Education Commissioner before later becoming president of the University of South Florida, and her father, Donald Castor, who died in 2013, served as the first executive director of Bay Area Legal Services before serving 20 years as a Hillsborough County Court Judge.
The Congresswoman’s career in public service started as an attorney for the Florida Department of Community Affairs, where she developed her serious environmental policy chops. She served as a local government attorney, where she specialized in land use and environmental law.
She later won election to the Hillsborough County Commission in 2002, where she chaired the Environmental Protection Commission. The Democrat served one term on that board before successfully pursuing federal office.
After Democrats won control of the House in 2018, then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi tapped Castor to head a Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, showing both her reputation as a conservation policy expert and her relationship with leadership at the time.
In that role, Castor played a critical part in shaping the Inflation Reduction Act, and she also helped secure substantial sums in the federal budget for infrastructure investment through the American Rescue Plan. Much of the funding from these policies was allocated to Tampa Bay, including saved jobs and terminal construction at Tampa International Airport.
For veterans, she lobbied for a decade for a bed tower at James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital, and a ribbon-cutting finally took place in 2023. Now, she’s spearheading legislation to preserve access for veterans to programs funded in the Affordable Care Act.
“Congresswoman Kathy Castor is without question one of the most powerful and effective political leaders in the Tampa Bay region,” Cardozo said. “Her seniority, deep relationships in Washington, and unwavering commitment to our community make her a force for progress both locally and nationally.”
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A special thanks to RSA Consulting Group, the sponsor of this year’s rankings. As for methodology, we define the Tampa Bay region as Pinellas, Hillsborough, and Pasco, but we can also include Hernando, Polk, or Sarasota if the politicians from those counties impact either Pinellas or Hillsborough. We define a politician as being in office or running for office. Being first on a panelist’s list earns the politician 25 points, second earns them 24 points, and so on, to where being listed 25th earns a politician one point. Points are added and, voilà, we have a list.
We also want to thank our experienced and knowledgeable panelists, who were essential to developing the 2025 list: Vinik Family Office Chief of Staff Christina Barker; Mercury Public Affairs Managing Director Ashley Bauman; Matt Blair of Corcoran Partners; Reggie Cardozo of The Public Square; Stephanie Cardozo of The Southern Group; Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick managing partner Ron Christaldi; former state Sen. Janet Cruz; political consultant/strategist Barry Edwards; Vicidial Group President Matt Florell; Sunrise Consulting Group President Shawn Foster; businessman Michael Griffin; Clay Hollis of Tucker/Hall; Natalie King of RSA Consulting Group; Moffitt Cancer Center VP of Public Affairs and Communications Merritt Martin; former state Rep. Seth McKeel of The Southern Group; political consultant Chris Mitchell; Mike Moore of The Southern Group; RSA President and CEO Ron Pierce; Tucker/Hall CEO Darren Richards; political consultant Jim Rimes; political consultant Preston Rudie of Catalyst Communications Group; TECO VP of State and Regional Affairs Stephanie Smith; lobbyist Alan Suskey of Shumaker Advisors; Doyle Walsh, Chief of Staff for St. Pete Mayor Ken Welch; and Michelle and Peter Schorsch, publishers of Florida Politics.
