Oakar, Mary Rose, 1940-

<p>Mary Rose Oakar (born March 5, 1940) is an American Democratic politician and former member of the United States House of Representatives from Ohio, serving from 1977 to 1993. She was the first Democratic woman elected to the United States Congress from that state. Oakar was also the first woman of Arab-American (Syrian and Lebanese) ancestry to serve in Congress.</p>

<p>She is currently a member of the Ohio State Board of Education.</p>

<p>Oakar, who graduated with a B.A. from Ursuline College in 1962 and an M.A. from John Carroll University in 1966, taught at Lourdes Academy, a Catholic high school for women, directed plays, taught at Cuyahoga Community College from 1968 to 1975 and served on the Cleveland City Council from 1973 to 1976 before winning election to the House from Ohio's 20th congressional district in Cleveland's West Side and the surrounding suburbs. She took office in 1977, succeeding James V. Stanton.</p>

<p>Oakar, one of very few Arab-American members of the House (she is of Lebanese and Syrian ancestry), became regarded as an increasingly powerful member. She was a high-ranking member of the Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, the Committee on Post Office and Civil Service and the House Administration Committee. Oakar's high placement on these committees allowed her to bring home to Cleveland large sums of money for urban renewal. Oakar forged strong relationships with Jewish groups in Cleveland. From 1985 to 1989, she was elected to a position in the House Democratic leadership, as Secretary of the House Democratic Caucus.</p>

<p>During her 16-year tenure, Congresswoman Mary Rose Oakar was dedicated to improving the economic welfare of women. She led the charge in Congress for women’s rights, though she often came into conflict with national women’s groups for her staunch anti-abortion position. Representative Oakar became an influential figure in the Democratic Party, climbing the leadership ladder by mastering House internal procedures and administration.</p>

<p>Mary Rose Oakar, the youngest of five children, was born in Cleveland, Ohio, on March 5, 1940, to parents of Lebanese and Syrian ancestry. Her father was a laborer, and her mother a homemaker. “We were very oriented toward our neighborhood,” Oakar recalled. “I came from a very diverse community, which I love. . . . I went to school and grew up with people of all backgrounds and races. I think that dealing with my peers was a great experience in preparation for being in public life.” Working her way through school as a telephone operator, Oakar graduated from Ursuline College in 1962 with a BA, and earned an MA four years later from John Carroll University, both in Ohio. She also studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London, Westham Adult College in England, and Columbia University in New York City. From 1963 to 1975, Oakar taught at a Cleveland high school and at Cuyahoga Community College. She served on Cleveland’s city council from 1973 to 1976. As a member of the city council, Oakar became a popular local leader who earned the reputation of being an aggressive advocate for women, children, and the elderly. She won support for her personalized campaign strategy which included distributing pens decorated with roses—a tactic to remind voters of her name. Oakar’s time on the city council provided valuable political experience. “And I think my city council training was very helpful when I came to Congress because I knew how to read a budget,” she said. “When I came to Congress, we made it, our staff and I made it our business to know what the budget had in it. We would give a briefing to some of our reporters about what we thought the budget said. I thought it was very, very helpful.”</p>

<p>Hoping to capitalize on her strong local ties and political experience, Oakar entered the 1976 Democratic primary for the heavily Democratic congressional district encompassing much of Cleveland west of the Cuyahoga River, vacated by James Vincent Stanton, who made an unsuccessful bid for the U.S. Senate. During the campaign she emphasized her status as the only woman in the race, declaring the need or more women in Congress to offset what she perceived as the arrogance exuded by many Congressmen. As the only woman, Oakar stood out in the crowded field but also was the target of condescending campaign ads. One of her opponents, for instance, questioned her ability to take on the rigors of Congress. “He did an ad saying, ‘You know, if you want a weakling,’ that sort of thing,” she explained, “‘You want somebody soft on the issues.’ I mean he didn’t even have to say woman, but that’s what he was talking about it.” She also highlighted her Cleveland roots when making campaign stops and found creative ways to reach voters. “So we would go in this Model T Ford all over the district, which was pretty large,” she remarked. “And people would come out because they wanted to see the car, and then I’d get to meet them. So that was sort of a way to get to know a lot of the people and get around 12 suburbs and half the city of Cleveland.” She defeated 11 other candidates with 24 percent of the vote. Oakar then dominated the general election, capturing 81 percent of the vote against two Independent candidates. In her seven successful re-election bids through 1990 in the heavily Democratic district, she never faced a serious challenge, often receiving no opposition from Republican candidates.</p>