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Ohio's 11th Congressional District special election, 2021 (August 3 Democratic primary)

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Shontel Brown won the special Democratic primary for Ohio's 11th Congressional District on August 3, 2021, advancing to the special general election on November 2, 2021. Thirteen candidates ran in the primary.[3] The special election was called after former incumbent Marcia Fudge (D) was confirmed as secretary of housing and urban development in President Joe Biden's (D) administration.[4]

The Hill's Julia Manchester wrote in July that the race "has become a proxy battle for the Democratic Party establishment and national progressives," referring to endorsements for Brown and Nina Turner.[5] Brown served on the Cuyahoga County Council as of the election. Turner, a former state senator, was a 2016 national surrogate and 2020 co-chair for Bernie Sanders' Democratic presidential primary campaigns.

Brown was endorsed by former Secretary of State and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and the Congressional Black Caucus PAC. Sanders and the Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC endorsed Turner. Seth Richardson of cleveland.com wrote that local endorsements did not break down along the same dividing lines as national endorsements.[6] Click here for more on national and local politics in the race.

Three policy areas where the candidates differed were healthcare, student loan debt forgiveness, and the cost of higher education. Click here to learn more about their positions.

Brown campaigned on her relationship with Fudge and support for the Biden administration, saying in one ad, "In Congress, I'll bring people together and work with Joe Biden to stop gun violence and provide economic relief for families. That's different than Nina Turner." The ad highlighted Turner's criticisms of Biden.

Turner released an ad in which she said she fought for the Democratic Party throughout her career. A narrator cited The Cleveland Plain Dealer, which criticized Brown for not stepping down as Cuyahoga County Democratic Party chair during her campaign and called her record undistinguished.

As of June 2021, Inside Elections rated the special election Solid Democratic.[7] Fudge was first elected in 2008, and she won re-election with at least 79% of the vote in each election cycle between then and 2021. As of 2019 Census Bureau estimates, Ohio's 11th was the only district in the state where Black residents made up a majority (53%). The district also had the largest Jewish population in the state, according to cleveland.com.[6]

Click on candidate names below to view their key messages:


Brown
Turner


This page focuses on Ohio's 11th Congressional District special Democratic primary. For more in-depth information on the district's special Republican primary and the special general election, see the following pages:

As of September 16, 2025, 17 special elections have been called during the 117th Congress. From the 113th Congress to the 116th Congress, 50 special elections were held. For more data on historical congressional special elections, click here.

Candidates and election results

Democratic primary election

Special Democratic primary for U.S. House Ohio District 11

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Shontel Brown
Shontel Brown
 
50.1
 
38,505
Image of Nina Turner
Nina Turner
 
44.6
 
34,239
Image of Jeffrey Johnson
Jeffrey Johnson
 
1.8
 
1,388
Image of John E. Barnes Jr.
John E. Barnes Jr.
 
1.0
 
801
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Shirley Smith
 
0.8
 
599
Image of Seth Corey
Seth Corey Candidate Connection
 
0.6
 
493
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Submit photo
Pamela Pinkney
 
0.2
 
184
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Will Knight
 
0.2
 
182
Image of Tariq Shabazz
Tariq Shabazz
 
0.2
 
134
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Martin Alexander
 
0.1
 
105
Image of James Jerome Bell
James Jerome Bell Candidate Connection
 
0.1
 
101
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Lateek Shabazz
 
0.1
 
61
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Isaac Powell
 
0.1
 
52

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 76,844
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Candidate profiles

This section includes candidate profiles created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff compiled a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy.[8]

James Jerome Bell

Image of James Jerome Bell

WebsiteFacebookTwitterYouTube

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography:  "First and foremost I would like to give all praise to the most high God is Sovereign of the universe Jehovah God I am from the mean tough streets of Cleveland Ohio having excelled with a lot of my people have failed I believe that I can be at Illuminator to the not only the 11th District, my community ,America, but the world as a whole I believe that with my experiences in life Community, employment entrepreneurship, education and the resolve to make life better for mankind. That I have the wherewithal and also The Human Experience to truly I say to you today make my mark in American society with the opportunity to serve my fellow man through honesty integrity and Truth.The world will be much better for my leadership and my commitment to Excellence. As I Forge a new America that will be a utopian society and what's peace and Harmony is to dwell."

Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

Utopian peace and Harmony!!!

Saving our planet and natural resources!!!

Common sense Gun control!!!

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Ohio District 11 in 2021.

Shontel Brown

Image of Shontel Brown

WebsiteFacebookTwitter

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: 

  • Cuyahoga County Council (Assumed office: 2015)
  • Warrensville Heights City Council (2012-2014)

Biography:  Brown received an associate degree in business management from Cuyahoga Community College. Brown founded Diversified Digital Solutions, a printing and promotions company, in 2009. Brown was elected chairwoman of the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party in 2017. As of her 2021 campaign, Brown chaired the Human Resources, Appointments & Equity Committee on the county council and volunteered at Mount Olive Missionary Baptist Church as a youth ministry leader.


Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

Brown said her record included passing legislation to declare racism a public health crisis, delivering wifi hotspots, bringing good jobs to Northeast Ohio, helping small businesses, and expanding pre-K. 

Brown said, "In Congress, I'll bring people together and work with Joe Biden to stop gun violence and provide economic relief for families. That's different than Nina Turner." Her first campaign ad featured a clip of a news anchor saying Turner had been "highly critical of President-elect Joe Biden."

Brown said she was a leader with the relationships needed to achieve results, emphasizing her relationship with former incumbent Marcia Fudge (D).

Show sources

Sources: Shontel Brown's 2021 campaign website, "Home," accessed May 10, 2021; YouTube, "Together," May 6, 2021; YouTube, "Democratic candidates square off in City Club of Cleveland's 11th Congressional District primary deb," June 22, 2021; Shontel Brown's 2021 campaign website, "Meet Shontel," accessed May 10, 2021; Cuyahoga County Council, "District 9 - Shontel Brown," accessed May 10, 2021; LinkedIn, "Shontel M. Brown," accessed May 10, 2021

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Ohio District 11 in 2021.

Seth Corey

Image of Seth Corey

WebsiteFacebook

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography:  "I am not a politician. I am a pediatrician who has dedicated his life to helping our most vulnerable. I understand the issues that are important to everyday people, and have the real life experience to fix them. An honors graduate of Yale, I received my MD and MPH from Tulane and did a residency and fellowship at Boston Children's Hospital. I have been an NIH-funded physician-scientist in hematology/oncology. ​ Too often, we have people making decisions for us that don’t understand the issues themselves. That has resulted in reactionary responses that offer a bandaid on a gushing wound, and consequences that hurt everyday people. ​ I will bring servant leadership to Washington D.C. - putting people before politics. As a doctor, I knows the best way I can help sick children is by listening, communicating, and advocating for them. I ams no stranger to pressure; as a pediatric oncologist, I have to make life or death decisions and unlike those in Washington -- I am accountable for them. I will use his problem solving skills, compassion, and experience as a public health professional and scientist to create solutions instead of making excuses."

Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

Problem-solving, small business friendly, and socially progressive

Speak Up for Our Kids!

Better health for all! End disparities, clean air, clean water, lower drug prices, better preparation for next pandemic,

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Ohio District 11 in 2021.

Nina Turner

Image of Nina Turner

WebsiteFacebookTwitter

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: 

  • Ohio State Senate (2008-2015)
  • Cleveland City Council (2006-2008) 

Biography:  Turner received an A.A. from Cuyahoga Community College and bachelor's and master's degrees from Cleveland State University. Turner was an assistant professor of history at Cuyahoga Community College and chair of party engagement for the Ohio Democratic Party. In 2014, Turner was the Democratic nominee for Ohio secretary of state. Turner was a national surrogate for Sen. Bernie Sanders' (I-Vt.) 2016 Democratic presidential campaign. She was president of Our Revolution before co-chairing Sanders' 2020 presidential campaign.


Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

Turner said her record included securing housing for seniors and leading a bipartisan effort to create a task force on community and police relations. She said she worked for Sanders' presidential campaign "to make the wealthy and big corporations pay their fair share and fight for Medicare for All."

Turner emphasized her upbringing, saying she grew up in a working-class family as one of seven children, and connected her support for Medicare for All to her mother's death at age 42.

Turner said, "You need to have somebody that will lead this community who does have a vision, that understands being a partner does not mean being a puppet, that working with does not mean acquiescing to."

Show sources

Sources: Nina Turner's 2021 campaign website, "Home," accessed May 10, 2021; YouTube, "Nina Turner--Voice," April 26, 2021; YouTube, "Democratic candidates square off in City Club of Cleveland's 11th Congressional District primary deb," June 22, 2021; Nina Turner's 2021 campaign website, "Meet Nina Turner," accessed May 10, 2021

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Ohio District 11 in 2021.

National and local politics

Endorsements

The Hill's Julia Manchester wrote in July that the race "has become a proxy battle for the Democratic Party establishment and national progressives," referring to endorsements for candidates Shontel Brown and Nina Turner.[5] Brown's endorsers included Hillary Clinton, House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.), Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio), the Congressional Black Caucus PAC, and Democratic Majority for Israel. Turner's endorsers included Sanders, the six representatives know as the Squad, and the Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC.

Sanders and Clyburn campaigned for Turner and Brown, respectively, in the district the weekend before the election.[9] Ocasio-Cortez campaigned for Turner in Cleveland on July 24.[10]

Seth Richardson of cleveland.com wrote that local endorsements did not break down along the same dividing lines as national endorsements:[6]

“

Turner has garnered heavyweight backing from the likes of Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson and influential Cleveland City Councilman Blaine Griffin, both of whom supported Biden in the 2020 primary and are heavily involved in the local party. The entire Democratic Statehouse delegation from Cuyahoga County also backs her as does former Ohio Democratic Party Chairman David Pepper – not exactly the quintessential outsider.

Brown has no shortage of backing herself, with dozens of mayors and council members across the district pushing for her victory. But that also includes ample endorsements from labor – a group more closely associated with the liberal wing of the party – which has split in the race.[11]

”

Candidate responses to national narrative

The following questions and responses are from interviews Ideastream Public Media's Amy Eddings conducted with each candidate.

Brown

Eddings: "This campaign is being seen by the national media as a referendum on the future of the Democratic Party – progressive, or mainstream. Do you see it that way?"

Brown: "What I can tell you is this: When constituents call me and they want to know, where can I get rental assistance? When is the next food bank happening? How do I get my hands on a PPP loan? They never ask me, 'Oh, by the way, are you a progressive or are you a moderate?' They’re just happy that they have a public servant willing to work on their behalf."[12]

Turner

Eddings: "This race is being seen by the national media as a referendum on the future of the Democratic Party. Do you see it that way, as a referendum on the party, on whether it goes progressive or goes mainstream?"

Turner: "I see it as a referendum on what’s right and wrong. I see it as a referendum on humanity. Amy, only one opponent out of 13 invited dark money to come into this race, to try to upset the stasis of this race, only one. But in a country where the people who have the most money get the most voice, for them to be invited in here by that campaign is not only a scourge on this district but it is also going to be very telling about politics moving forward. That big money outside groups can try to decide who they’re going to send to Congress versus the residents of the 11th Congressional District deciding who they’re going to send to Congress. That’s a far different thing. What we are fighting for is humanitarian. That’s what we’re fighting for. That’s what the movement is about. That’s different than the other side."[13]

Policy differences

Three policy areas of divergence between the candidates were healthcare, student loan debt forgiveness, and the cost of higher education.

  • Brown supported a public option for healthcare. She said she would vote for Medicare for All if a bill came to the House floor but favored a public option that wouldn't eliminate employer-sponsored insurance.[14] Turner supported Medicare for All and said that if it took the federal government too long to enact it, implementation could begin at the state level.[15]
  • Brown supported forgiving the average amount of student loan debt, while Turner supported forgiving all student loan debt.[14][15]
  • Brown proposed free community college for everyone and free four-year public college for families making less than $125,000 a year. Turner proposed free public college for everyone.[14][15]

Noteworthy primary endorsements

Click below for endorsement lists from candidates' campaign websites, where available:

This section includes noteworthy endorsements issued in the primary, added as we learn about them. Click here to read how we define noteworthy primary endorsements. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please email us.

Democratic primary endorsements
Endorsement Brown Turner
Newspapers and editorials
cleveland.com/The Plain Dealer editorial board[16] ✔
Elected officials
Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio) ✔
Rep./House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) ✔
Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.) ✔
Rep. Troy Carter (D-La.) ✔
Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) ✔
Rep. David Trone (D-Md.) ✔
Rep. Marc Veasey (D-Tx.) ✔
Rep. Stacey Plaskett (D-Virgin Islands) ✔
Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.) ✔
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) ✔
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) ✔
Rep. Andy Levin (D-Mich.) ✔
Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) ✔
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) ✔
Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.) ✔
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) ✔
Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) ✔
Rep. Mondaire Jones (D-N.Y.) ✔
Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) ✔
Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) ✔
Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) ✔
Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) ✔
Rep. Jesus Garcia (D-Ill.) ✔
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison (D) ✔
Ohio Senate Democratic Leader Kenny Yuko ✔
Individuals
Former Sec. of State/2016 presidential
candidate Hillary Clinton (D)		 ✔
Former Gov. Ted Strickland (D)[17] ✔
2020 presidential candidate/2021 New York
City mayoral candidate Andrew Yang (D)		 ✔
2020 presidential candidate Marianne Williamson (D) ✔
Organizations
Democratic Majority for Israel ✔
Jewish Democratic Council of America ✔
Cleveland Teachers Union 279 American Federation of Teachers ✔
Congressional Black Caucus PAC ✔
Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC ✔
Justice Democrats ✔
MoveOn ✔
Democracy for America ✔
Our Revolution ✔
Progressive Democrats of America ✔
Working Families Party ✔
Sunrise Movement ✔
Akron DSA ✔
Done Waiting PAC ✔
Women's March Win[18] ✔
The Black Contractors Group, Inc ✔
Bricklayers Local Union No. 5 ✔
Cleveland Building & Construction Trades Council ✔
Association of Heat & Frost Insulators & Allied Workers Local 3, Cleveland, OH ✔
International Union of Painters and Allied Trades ✔
Pipe Fitters Local Union No. 120 ✔
The Ohio State Association of Plumbers & Pipe Fitters ✔
Laborers Local 310 ✔
The Boilermakers Union, Local Lodge 744 ✔
International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers & Helpers ✔
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 38 ✔
Ohio Laborers District Council ✔
Journeyman Plumbers Union Local 55 ✔
SMART ✔
Sheet Metal Workers Local 33 ✔
United Auto Workers Region 2B[19] ✔
Amalgamated Transit Union ✔
Bakers, Confectionary, and Tobacco Workers Union Local 19 ✔
CWA Local 4340 ✔
International Association of Black FireFighters ✔
SEIU Local 1199 ✔
SEIU Local 1 ✔
The Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union ✔
National Nurses United ✔
IUE-CWA ✔

Timeline

July

Campaign themes

Shontel Brown

Brown's campaign website stated the following themes.

“

An End to Gun Violence.

Homicide rates in parts of Northeast Ohio are higher than they have been in decades. On average, 100 people are killed in the United States every day by a gun. This is uniquely an American problem—and one that I will work to address with urgency. Everyone in our community is entitled to live safe from gun violence. It is about taking high-capacity firearms off our streets, and addressing crime and mental illness.

Together, we must stop gun violence—and I’ll take on the NRA to get it done.

In Congress, I will fight to require universal background checks for gun sales, mandate waiting periods for gun purchases, and ban assault weapons that have no place on American streets. In addition, I will work to hold gun manufacturers accountable for the harm their products cause and to ban high-capacity magazines that are often used in mass shootings. I believe we must restrict the aftermarket modifications that make weapons more deadly and turn semi-automatic weapons into fully automatic weapons. Finally, if you have been convicted of a hate crime or domestic violence, you should never be allowed to purchase a gun.

A comprehensive approach to solving this problem also means dealing with the root causes of gun violence. It means stopping gang crime before it begins by giving kids a future that includes an education and a job that actually pays the bills. Meaningful reform includes efforts to prevent suicide and decrease the isolation and hopelessness that leads some to believe that is their only option.

I will work with Biden to implement the American Jobs Plan that will create jobs to make sure our kids get that chance at a future, and I will ensure that mental health is covered by insurance.

A Bold Recovery from COVID.

In Congress, I will work in partnership with President Biden and Vice President Harris for a comprehensive health and economic recovery from the pandemic. I stand with the Biden-Harris Administration in prioritizing health equity and am committed to ensuring that all future COVID relief is distributed equitably.

A comprehensive recovery from the pandemic should include the following components – many of which are in Biden’s COVID relief plan:

  • Immediate, direct, and sustained economic relief
  • Free and accessible vaccination distribution that accounts for barriers – such as transportation and hesitancy – that many communities face
  • Extending the moratorium on evictions
  • Relief to local and state governments
  • A plan to prevent more layoffs and support struggling small businesses

I will partner with the Administration to develop safe strategies for re-opening our economy and creating good-paying, permanent jobs in Cuyahoga and Summit Counties.

Lower Health Care Costs and Cover Everyone with High Quality Care.

Ohio’s 11th Congressional District includes some of the richest and poorest communities in the country. Too many of our neighbors rely on emergency rooms because they do not have a primary care doctor. In the richest country on earth, nobody should go without health care.

I will work with the Biden-Harris Administration to pass a high-quality public option that will lower costs, drive down prescription drug costs, and expand coverage to achieve universal health care. I believe a public option that President Biden supports is the fastest and most immediate mechanism to get there. I would vote for Medicare for All if it came to the House floor.

Too many Ohioans cannot afford their prescription drugs, while drug companies make higher and higher profits. We need to pass legislation that allows Medicare to negotiate lower prescription drug costs, end big drug companies’ tax breaks for advertising, and end backroom deals like “pay for delay,” which limits competition from generic drugs and drives up our costs as patients.

My work with First Year Cleveland inspired me to write and pass landmark legislation declaring racism a public health crisis in Cuyahoga County. But we have a lot more work to do, as racial disparities in health care have only been exacerbated during the pandemic. I am glad that the Biden-Harris Administration is prioritizing health equity and will continue to work for equitable distribution of COVID relief.

Additionally, I will work to tackle the high infant and maternal mortality rates. The mortality rate for Black infants in Ohio is three times as high as the rate for white infants. Black women are three to four times more likely to die from childbirth and pregnancy-related causes than white women. We should extend Medicaid coverage – which covers nearly half of all births – from 60 days to one year for new moms. We must act to remove discrimination and bias in health care. I am a strong supporter of Birthing Beautiful Communities, a Cleveland-based group providing culturally sensitive education and advocacy to women during and after pregnancy, and should I have the honor to be elected Congresswoman I will continue to support community-based solutions to this crisis.

Expand Opportunity and End Poverty.

Too many Ohioans cannot afford some combination of housing, health care, education, and utilities. We need to make them all more affordable for families.

I support the Biden-Harris plan to make child care more affordable, which includes relief for child care providers in danger of closing, expanding child care assistance, and increasing tax credits to cover child-care costs. I will fight to pass paid family and medical leave, which is critical to supporting families as they address health and caregiving needs. I also support universal Pre-K, free community college for all, free four-year public college for families making under $125,000, some college debt cancellation for everyone, with additional relief that goes to the people who need it most, and significant federal investments in pathways to the middle class that do not require a four-year college degree.

Should I have the honor to be elected, I will fight alongside Senator Sherrod Brown to dramatically cut childhood poverty by making the recent changes to the child tax credit permanent. I also plan to pick up former Congresswoman Fudge’s mantle and finish the fight to make sure no American goes hungry. Of course, this includes fighting to pass the PRO Act, which strengths unions and empowers workers. And like Secretary-designate Congresswoman Marcia Fudge, I support a path to a $15 minimum wage that indexes to inflation so it has built-in increases.

Neighborhoods across Northeast Ohio have seen housing costs skyrocket. I support COVID relief legislation that imposes a moratorium on evictions. I will also work to make housing more affordable by ending discriminatory practices like redlining; provide down-payment assistance through a refundable tax credit; and will work to increase the supply of housing.

This pandemic has only underscored the challenges of the digital divide in Northeast Ohio, from children falling behind in virtual school or struggling to do homework, to veterans that cannot access virtual visits and telehealth. I plan to fight for the resources to connect every community to high-speed, broadband internet.

Here in Northeast Ohio we have struggled to keep up with increases in water and wastewater rates. As utility companies and municipalities have sought to bring our dated infrastructure into compliance with Clean Water Act standards, they passed the costs onto consumers. I am committed to continuing Congresswoman Fudge’s initiative to lower water bills through the Low-Income Sewer and Water Assistant Program Act (LISWAP).

A Justice Agenda.

In Congress, I will prioritize strengthening civil rights laws, advancing comprehensive criminal justice reform, reducing gun violence and ending the use of private prisons. I believe Ohio should follow Illinois’ lead and ban cash bail.

I will be proud to support the George Floyd Justice for Policing Act, which increases accountability for law enforcement misconduct, improves data-collection and transparency, and eliminates discriminatory policing practices.

In Cuyahoga County, I have sought to develop options so that people who call 911 have a crisis intervention option, and don’t have to rely on the police. Accordingly, I will champion the Crisis Assistance Helping Out On The Streets (CAHOOTS) Act.

I am proud to be a key part of a new generation of leaders that strongly believes in environmental justice. I support the principles laid out in the Green New Deal and I am committed to aggressive action on climate change with net-zero emissions by 2050 and a carbon-free power sector by 2035. We can achieve those goals, create millions of jobs in every part of America, and bring down the cost of electricity. Clean energy actually costs less for families. In addition, I support upgrading America’s infrastructure with investments in roads, airports, water infrastructure — and connecting every community in Ohio to high-speed, broadband internet.

Also, for the sake of our democracy, I support initiatives to get money out of politics, overturning Citizens United, and banning Members of Congress from becoming lobbyists. In Congress, I will champion the For The People Act and The John Lewis Voting Rights Act, which will expand voting rights, limit gerrymandering, create new ethics rules, and reduce the role of money in politics.[11]

”
—Shontel Brown’s campaign website (2021)[29]

Nina Turner

Turner's campaign website stated the following themes.

“

COVID Recovery

“I’m running for Congress because I want an America as good as its promise. The people of Ohio-11 deserve a government that prioritizes the dignity of working people at the center of the pandemic response.”

  • Ensure all communities have access to the COVID-19 vaccines
  • Provide recurring federal relief for families and businesses that is fairly distributed to everyone
  • Raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour
  • Create nationwide PPE workplace safety standards
  • Continue the moratorium on evictions

Medicare for All

“We live in a country where our veterans are living on the streets without treatment for service-related mental health issues; we have people who are too afraid to go out and see a doctor because they can’t afford it; and we have Black women dying in childbirth at disproportionate numbers in the 21st century. This is America and this is unacceptable!”

  • Provide everyone in America comprehensive health care coverage without premiums, deductibles, copays or surprise bills through a Medicare for All system
  • Prevent drug companies and insurers from gouging patients
  • Invest in infrastructure so every community has real access to health care
  • Quantify and eliminate health care disparities

Economic Justice

“We want our WHOLE DAMN DOLLAR!”

  • A living wage that adjusts for inflation
  • Strengthen and expand unions
  • Equal pay for equal work
  • Expand workplace protections for the LGBTQIA+ community by passing the Equality Act
  • Make credit and banking services available to all communities
  • Make the ultra-wealthy and large corporations pay their fair share
  • Increased protections and employment opportunities for our disabled community

Expanded Public Education

"The public education system needs to be shored up, and we have to invest our tax dollars to ensure that a child will not be discriminated against or treated differently because of the zip code they live in."

  • Increase federal and state funding for early childhood education and child care, public schools and educators, and community schools and afterschool programs
  • Ensure the right of teachers and their unions to collectively bargain for better wages, benefits and working conditions
  • Free public college and cancel student debt

Housing as a Human Right

“We are on the edge of a housing crisis like no other. Federal, state and local governments must recognize that housing is a human right. We can start by extending the ban on evictions during a deadly pandemic and quickly act to make sweeping investments in affordable housing.”

  • Include substantial investments in new affordable housing construction
  • Effectively address homelessness
  • Minimize gentrification and protect communities
  • Allow all communities the opportunity to build intergenerational wealth through homeownership

Reimagining Public Safety

"The criminal justice system is inherently unjust to Black and Brown people. We need to completely reimagine how we do policing in this country and while we are at it, let’s fix the entire system from the judiciary to the streets."

  • Implement alternatives to incarceration where appropriate
  • End mandatory minimum sentencing and the death penalty
  • Legalize marijuana
  • Create national policing and use of force standards
  • Ensure law enforcement accountability
  • End for-profit prisons and immigration detention centers
  • Bail Reform

Environmental Justice

"One thing that we do have in common as human beings, and not just in our country, but all across the world, is that we need a stable environment. We need Mother Nature – we need Mother Earth – to be well, and we are making her sick."

  • Clean water, clean food and clean air for all
  • Create millions of good paying jobs by re-inventing our energy and transportation systems through a Green New Deal
  • Strengthen national parks and natural lands[11]
 ”
—Nina Turner’s campaign website (2021)[30]

Campaign advertisements

This section shows advertisements released in this race. Ads released by campaigns and, if applicable, satellite groups are embedded or linked below. If you are aware of advertisements that should be included, please email us.

Shontel Brown

"Left to Do" - Brown campaign ad, released July 16, 2021
"SHONTEL BROWN FOR CONGRESS" - Brown campaign ad, released July 1, 2021
"CLYBURN Legacy" - Brown campaign ad, released July 1, 2021
"Shontel Brown For Us" - Brown campaign ad, released June 17, 2021
"It's About Results" - Brown campaign ad, released June 16, 2021
"Shontel Brown for Congress w/Mom" - Brown campaign ad, released June 8, 2021
"Together" - Brown campaign ad, released May 6, 2021


Nina Turner

"Self Serving" - Turner campaign ad, released July 20, 2021
"Surprised" - Turner campaign ad, released July 14, 2021
"Truth" - Turner campaign ad, released July 8, 2021
"Soccer" - Turner campaign ad, released July 1, 2021
"Worry" - Turner campaign ad, released July 1, 2021
"Bones" - Turner campaign ad, released July 1, 2021
"All of US" - Turner campaign ad, released May 18, 2021
"Grandson" - Turner campaign ad, released May 17, 2021
"Voice" - Turner campaign ad, released April 27, 2021


Satellite group ads

"Deliver" - DMFI PAC ad, released June 30, 2021

Debates, forums, and interviews

Ideastream Public Media Q&A

3News interviews

"Shontel Brown, Nina Turner talk to Russ Mitchell about race for Ohio's 11th Congressional District" - July 26, 2021

June 22, 2021 debate

The City Club of Cleveland hosted a debate featuring eight candidates: John Barnes, Shontel Brown, Seth Corey, Jeff Johnson, Will Knight, Tariq Shabazz, Shirley Smith, and Nina Turner. The candidates met the Club's participation criteria of being on the ballot, meeting FEC filing requirements, having at least three publicly available policy position statements, and agreeing to the debate rules.

Ohio's 11th Democratic primary debate - June 22, 2021

Q&A with cleveland.com

Campaign finance

The chart below contains data from financial reports submitted to the Federal Election Commission.

Name Party Receipts* Disbursements** Cash on hand Date
Martin Alexander Democratic Party $0 $0 $0 Data not available***
John E. Barnes Jr. Democratic Party $22,203 $16,600 $5,603 As of September 30, 2021
James Jerome Bell Democratic Party $0 $0 $0 Data not available***
Shontel Brown Democratic Party $0 $0 $0 Data not available***
Seth Corey Democratic Party $68,983 $60,939 $8,043 As of December 31, 2022
Jeffrey Johnson Democratic Party $30,709 $6,576 $24,133 As of December 31, 2021
Will Knight Democratic Party $0 $0 $0 Data not available***
Pamela Pinkney Democratic Party $0 $0 $0 Data not available***
Isaac Powell Democratic Party $0 $0 $0 Data not available***
Lateek Shabazz Democratic Party $0 $0 $0 Data not available***
Tariq Shabazz Democratic Party $0 $0 $0 Data not available***
Shirley Smith Democratic Party $23,621 $23,560 $-437 As of September 30, 2021
Nina Turner Democratic Party $0 $0 $0 Data not available***

Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," . This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

* According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee."
** According to the FEC, a disbursement "is a purchase, payment, distribution, loan, advance, deposit or gift of money or anything of value to influence a federal election," plus other kinds of payments not made to influence a federal election.
*** Candidate either did not report any receipts or disbursements to the FEC, or Ballotpedia did not find an FEC candidate ID.


Satellite spending

Satellite spending, commonly referred to as outside spending, describes political spending not controlled by candidates or their campaigns; that is, any political expenditures made by groups or individuals that are not directly affiliated with a candidate. This includes spending by political party committees, super PACs, trade associations, and 501(c)(4) nonprofit groups.[31][32][33]

This section lists satellite spending in this race reported by news outlets in alphabetical order. If you are aware of spending that should be included, please email us.

  • The Democratic Action PAC had spent $661,000 on radio, broadcast, and mail supporting Turner and opposing Brown as of August 2.[22]
  • The Democratic Majority for Israel had spent $2 million on TV advertising and other media opposing Turner and supporting Brown as of July 29.[22]
  • Third Way spent $255,000 on digital advertising opposing Turner as of July 29.
  • The Working Families Party Independent Expenditure Committee had spent $153,000 on canvassing and digital ads supporting Turner as of July 27.[22]

Primaries in Ohio

A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Ohio utilizes an open primary system. In an open primary system, a voter does not have to register with a political party beforehand in order to vote in that party's primary. In Ohio, voters select their preferred party primary ballots at their polling places on Election Day.[34][35][36][37]

For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

District analysis

See also: The Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index
See also: FiveThirtyEight's elasticity scores

The 2017 Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district was , meaning that in the previous two presidential elections, this district's results were the national average. This made Ohio's 11th Congressional District special the nationally.[38]

FiveThirtyEight's September 2018 elasticity score for states and congressional districts measured "how sensitive it is to changes in the national political environment." This district's elasticity score was . This means that for every 1 point the national political mood moved toward a party, the district was expected to move points toward that party.[39]

Pivot Counties

See also: Pivot Counties by state

Nine of 88 Ohio counties—10.2 percent—are Pivot Counties. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.

Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008
County Trump margin of victory in 2016 Obama margin of victory in 2012 Obama margin of victory in 2008
Ashtabula County, Ohio 18.80% 12.78% 13.54%
Erie County, Ohio 9.48% 12.29% 13.86%
Montgomery County, Ohio 0.73% 4.62% 6.22%
Ottawa County, Ohio 19.51% 4.30% 6.24%
Portage County, Ohio 9.87% 5.52% 8.99%
Sandusky County, Ohio 22.58% 2.71% 4.64%
Stark County, Ohio 17.17% 0.47% 5.46%
Trumbull County, Ohio 6.22% 23.00% 22.43%
Wood County, Ohio 7.99% 4.84% 7.13%

In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump (R) won Ohio with 51.7 percent of the vote. Hillary Clinton (D) received 43.6 percent. In presidential elections between 1900 and 2016, Ohio cast votes for the winning presidential candidate 93.3 percent of the time (28 out of 30 elections), more than any other state in the country. In that same time frame, Ohio supported Republican candidates for president more often than Democratic candidates, 60 to 40 percent. Between 2000 and 2016, Ohio voted for the winning presidential candidate in every election.

Presidential results by legislative district

The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in Ohio. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[40][41]

In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 39 out of 99 state House districts in Ohio with an average margin of victory of 35.7 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 33 out of 99 state House districts in Ohio with an average margin of victory of 34 points. Clinton won seven districts controlled by Republicans heading into the 2018 elections.
In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 60 out of 99 state House districts in Ohio with an average margin of victory of 17.4 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 66 out of 99 state House districts in Ohio with an average margin of victory of 28.3 points. Trump won seven districts controlled by Democrats heading into the 2018 elections.


District election history

The section below details election results for this office in elections dating back to 2000.

2020

See also: Ohio's 11th Congressional District election, 2020

Ohio's 11th Congressional District election, 2020 (April 28 Republican primary)

Ohio's 11th Congressional District election, 2020 (April 28 Democratic primary)

General election

General election for U.S. House Ohio District 11

Incumbent Marcia Fudge defeated Laverne Gore in the general election for U.S. House Ohio District 11 on November 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Marcia Fudge
Marcia Fudge (D)
 
80.1
 
242,098
Image of Laverne Gore
Laverne Gore (R)
 
19.9
 
60,323

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 302,421
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Ohio District 11

Incumbent Marcia Fudge defeated Tariq Shabazz, Michael Hood, and James Jerome Bell in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Ohio District 11 on April 28, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Marcia Fudge
Marcia Fudge
 
90.5
 
70,379
Image of Tariq Shabazz
Tariq Shabazz Candidate Connection
 
3.6
 
2,813
Image of Michael Hood
Michael Hood Candidate Connection
 
3.4
 
2,641
Image of James Jerome Bell
James Jerome Bell Candidate Connection
 
2.5
 
1,963

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 77,796
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Ohio District 11

Laverne Gore defeated Jonah Schulz and Shalira Taylor in the Republican primary for U.S. House Ohio District 11 on April 28, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Laverne Gore
Laverne Gore
 
47.3
 
4,589
Image of Jonah Schulz
Jonah Schulz Candidate Connection
 
41.5
 
4,027
Image of Shalira Taylor
Shalira Taylor
 
11.2
 
1,083

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 9,699
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2018

See also: Ohio's 11th Congressional District election, 2018

General election

General election for U.S. House Ohio District 11

Incumbent Marcia Fudge defeated Beverly Goldstein in the general election for U.S. House Ohio District 11 on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Marcia Fudge
Marcia Fudge (D)
 
82.2
 
206,138
Image of Beverly Goldstein
Beverly Goldstein (R) Candidate Connection
 
17.7
 
44,486
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.0
 
36

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 250,660
(100.00% precincts reporting)
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Ohio District 11

Incumbent Marcia Fudge advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. House Ohio District 11 on May 8, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Marcia Fudge
Marcia Fudge
 
100.0
 
65,905

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified.

Total votes: 65,905
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Ohio District 11

Beverly Goldstein defeated Gregory Dunham in the Republican primary for U.S. House Ohio District 11 on May 8, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Beverly Goldstein
Beverly Goldstein Candidate Connection
 
52.5
 
7,017
Image of Gregory Dunham
Gregory Dunham
 
47.5
 
6,336

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.

Total votes: 13,353
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2016

See also: Ohio's 11th Congressional District election, 2016

Heading into the election, Ballotpedia rated this race as safely Democratic. Incumbent Marcia Fudge (D) defeated Beverly Goldstein (R) in the general election. Both ran unopposed in their respective primaries.[42]

U.S. House, Ohio District 11 General Election, 2016
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngMarcia Fudge Incumbent 80.3% 242,917
     Republican Beverly Goldstein 19.7% 59,769
Total Votes 302,686
Source: Ohio Secretary of State

See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Ohio Secretary of State, "2021 Ohio Elections Calendar," accessed March 19, 2021
  2. ↑ Ohio Secretary of State, "Early Voting," accessed March 19, 2021
  3. ↑ News 5 Cleveland, "Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announces date for special election to fill Marcia Fudge's 11th Congressional seat," March 18, 2021
  4. ↑ CNN, "Senate confirms Ohio Rep. Marcia Fudge as HUD secretary," March 10, 2021
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 The Hill, "Shontel Brown gaining ground against Nina Turner in Ohio: poll," July 23, 2021
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 cleveland.com, "Bernie vs. Biden? Liberal vs. establishment? The 11th Congressional District race is much more complex than the national narrative of late: Analysis," July 24, 2021
  7. ↑ Inside Elections, "House Ratings," June 18, 2021
  8. ↑ In battleground primaries, Ballotpedia based its selection of noteworthy candidates on polling, fundraising, and noteworthy endorsements. In battleground general elections, all major party candidates and any other candidates with the potential to impact the outcome of the race were included.
  9. ↑ The Hill, "Sanders to campaign for Turner in Ohio," July 21, 2021
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Newsweek, "AOC Stumps for 'Squad' Hopeful Nina Turner in Ohio, Says It's About 'People vs. Big Money,'" July 25, 2021
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  12. ↑ Ideastream Public Media, "Q&A: Shontel Brown On The Race For Ohio's 11th Congressional District," July 30, 2021
  13. ↑ Ideastream Public Media, "Q&A: Nina Turner On The Race For Ohio's 11th Congressional District," July 29, 2021
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 cleveland.com, "Shontel Brown Q&A: where the major 11th Congressional District candidates stand," June 2, 2021
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 cleveland.com, "Nina Turner Q&A: where the major 11th Congressional District candidates stand," June 1, 2021
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 cleveland.com, "Nina Turner in the Democratic primary for the 11th Congressional District," July 4, 2021
  17. ↑ Twitter, "Shontel Brown on July 28," accessed August 2, 2021
  18. ↑ The Hill, "Women's March endorses Nina Turner in first-ever electoral endorsement," July 27, 2021
  19. ↑ WKYC, "Local United Auto Workers chapter endorses Shontel Brown for open U.S. Congress seat in Ohio," March 30, 2021
  20. ↑ Fox8, "Sen. Bernie Sanders to campaign with Nina Turner in Akron and Cleveland," July 30, 2021
  21. ↑ Twitter, "Shontel Brown on July 29, 2021," accessed July 30, 2021
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 22.4 22.5 ProPublica, "Ohio’s 11th District House Race - 2022 cycle," accessed August 5, 2021
  23. ↑ Politico, "Congressional Black Caucus takes sides in Ohio special election," July 7, 2021
  24. ↑ WKYC, "Democratic candidates square off in City Club of Cleveland's 11th Congressional District primary debate," updated June 23, 2021
  25. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named clinton
  26. ↑ CNN, "The Sunrise Movement endorses top Sanders ally Nina Turner to fill US House seat in Ohio," May 20, 2021
  27. ↑ Twitter, "Shontel Brown on May 6, 2021," accessed May 20, 2021
  28. ↑ Cleveland.com, "Nina Turner becomes first to go up on TV with $500,000 ad buy in 11th Congressional District," April 27, 2021
  29. ↑ Shontel Brown’s campaign website, “Priorities,” accessed July 20, 2021
  30. ↑ Nina Turner’s campaign website, “Issues,” accessed July 20, 2021
  31. ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Outside Spending," accessed September 22, 2015
  32. ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Total Outside Spending by Election Cycle, All Groups," accessed September 22, 2015
  33. ↑ National Review.com, "Why the Media Hate Super PACs," November 6, 2015
  34. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "State Primary Election Types," accessed October 25, 2019
  35. ↑ FairVote, "Primaries," accessed October 25, 2019
  36. ↑ Ballotpedia research conducted December 26, 2013, through January 3, 2014, researching and analyzing various state websites and codes.
  37. ↑ LAWriter Ohio Laws and Rules, "3501.01 Election procedure - election officials definitions.," accessed October 25, 2019
  38. ↑ Cook Political Report, "Introducing the 2017 Cook Political Report Partisan Voter Index," April 7, 2017
  39. ↑ FiveThirtyEight, "Election Update: The Most (And Least) Elastic States And Districts," September 6, 2018
  40. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
  41. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017
  42. ↑ Ohio Secretary of State, "Ohio 2016 March Primary Candidate List," accessed March 11, 2016
  43. ↑ Politico, "2012 Election Map, Ohio," accessed November 11, 2012
  44. ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 2010," accessed March 28, 2013
  45. ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 4, 2008," accessed March 28, 2013
  46. ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 7, 2006," accessed March 28, 2013
  47. ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 5, 2002," accessed March 28, 2013
  48. ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 7, 2000," accessed March 28, 2013


Ohio's current delegation to the United States Congress
Senators
Jon Husted (R)
Bernie Moreno (R)
Representatives
District 1
District 2
District 3
District 4
District 5
Bob Latta (R)
District 6
District 7
District 8
District 9
District 10
District 11
District 12
District 13
District 14
District 15
Republican Party (12)
Democratic Party (5)

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