Shelley Moore Capito is the senior Republican senator from West Virginia, first elected in 2014 and reelected in 2020. Born in Glendale, West Virginia, on November 26, 1953, she earned her B.S. from Duke University (1975) and M.Ed. from the University of Virginia (1976). Before entering the Senate, she served as a college counselor, member of the West Virginia House of Delegates (1997-2001), and U.S. Representative from West Virginia's 2nd congressional district (2001-2015). Capito is the first female U.S. senator in West Virginia's history and the first West Virginia Republican to win a full Senate term since 1942. She is currently the fourth-ranking member of the Republican-controlled Senate and chairs the Environment and Public Works Committee.
Capito was born in Glendale, West Virginia, and is the daughter of three-term West Virginia Governor and six-term U.S. Representative Arch Alfred Moore Jr. She graduated from Duke University with a B.S. in chemistry (1975) and earned an M.Ed. from the University of Virginia (1976). She worked as a college counselor and director of an educational information center before entering politics. Capito has been married to Charles L. Capito Jr. for over 30 years and has three adult children. She is known for her business-friendly voting record, environmental stewardship advocacy despite supporting coal industry, and bipartisan efforts on certain issues. She serves as Chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee and is a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee.