Emilia Sykes
Emilia Sykes | |
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Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Ohio's 13th district | |
Assumed office January 3, 2023 | |
Preceded by | Tim Ryan |
Minority Leader of the Ohio House of Representatives | |
In office February 6, 2019 – December 31, 2021 | |
Preceded by | Fred Strahorn |
Succeeded by | Allison Russo |
Member of the Ohio House of Representatives from the 34th district | |
In office January 6, 2015 – December 31, 2022 | |
Preceded by | Vernon Sykes |
Succeeded by | Casey Weinstein (redistricting) |
Personal details | |
Born | Emilia Strong Sykes January 4, 1986 Akron, Ohio, U.S. |
Political party | Democratic |
Relatives |
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Education | |
Website | House website |
Emilia Strong Sykes[1][2] (born January 4, 1986) is an American politician who is the U.S. representative for Ohio's 13th congressional district. She formerly represented the 34th district of the Ohio House of Representatives, which consists of portions of the Akron area. From 2019 until 2021, she also served as minority leader of that chamber.
Sykes grew up in the Akron area and is the daughter of former state representatives Vernon Sykes (now an Ohio state senator) and Barbara Sykes, who successively held the same seat from 1982 to 2014. Between Vernon, Barbara, and Emilia, the Sykes family held the seat for 40 years.[3][4]
Biography
Sykes holds a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from Kent State University.[5] She received a JD from the University of Florida Levin College of Law and a Master of Public Health from the College of Public Health and Health Professions.[6] She previously attended Tuskegee University, where she filed a lawsuit against the university after it mistakenly honored her as the winner of the Miss Tuskegee University beauty pageant in 2006 and revoked her title after correcting it.[7]
Sykes has served as an administrative adviser in the Summit County fiscal office.[8] In 2013, she ran for the Ohio House of Representatives to succeed her father, Vernon, who was term-limited.[9] She defeated Summit County Councilman Frank Communale to secure the Democratic nomination,[10] and Republican nominee Cynthia Blake 72%-28% in the general election.[11]
In 2015, Sykes and fellow Democratic lawmaker Greta Johnson introduced a bill that sought to exempt feminine hygiene products from sales tax.[12]
In 2019, Sykes was elected the leader of the Democrats in the Ohio House, becoming minority leader.[13]
During the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries, Sykes supported Joe Biden.[14]
Sykes won the EMILY's List 2020 Gabby Giffords Rising Star Award.[15]
U.S. House of Representatives
Elections
2022
In January 2022, Sykes announced her candidacy for Ohio's 13th congressional district.[16]
In November 2022, she won the general election, defeating Republican nominee Madison Gesiotto Gilbert, a former Miss Ohio USA.[17]
Caucus memberships
Committee assignments
- Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure[19]
- Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment (vice ranking member)
Electoral history
Year | Democrat | Votes | Pct | Republican | Votes | Pct | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2014 | Emilia Sykes | 17,299 | 71.9% | Cynthia Blake | 6,082 | 28.1% | ||
2016 | Emilia Sykes | 35,154 | 77.1% | Gene Littlefield | 10,420 | 22.9% | ||
2018 | Emilia Sykes | 30,164 | 78.4% | Josh Sines | 8,329 | 21.6% | ||
2020 | Emilia Sykes | 36,251 | 76.8% | Henry Todd | 10,926 | 23.2% |
Year | Votes | Pct | Votes | Pct | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2022 | Emilia Sykes | 146,621 | 52.6% | Madison Gesiotto Gilbert | 132,181 | 47.4% |
References
- ^ "Lawyer Directory – The Florida Bar". Archived from the original on March 7, 2017. Retrieved Mar 17, 2020.
- ^ "Emilia Strong Sykes Lawyer Profile on Martindale.com". www.martindale.com. Archived from the original on October 1, 2022. Retrieved Mar 17, 2020.
- ^ "Sykes tells local Democrats about 'Ohio Promise' - Morrow County Sentinel". www.morrowcountysentinel.com. 2019-07-26. Archived from the original on 2019-12-20. Retrieved 2019-12-20.
- ^ "For the Ohio House: Emilia Sykes and Greta Johnson". Akron Beacon Journal. Archived from the original on 2019-12-20. Retrieved 2019-12-20.
- ^ Walsh |, by Ellin. "Emilia Sykes wins primary for 34th Ohio House District". Akron Beacon Journal. Archived from the original on 2022-10-01. Retrieved 2022-10-01.
- ^ "Rep. Emilia Sykes joins competitive US House race in Ohio". AP NEWS. 2022-01-18. Archived from the original on 2022-01-26. Retrieved 2022-10-01.
- ^ "Ohio Dem Emilia Sykes Sued Her School After She Lost a University Beauty Pageant".
- ^ "First New Democratic House Leader in Five Years Has Strong Ties to the Statehouse". 28 January 2019. Archived from the original on 2019-03-27. Retrieved 2019-03-27.
- ^ "Emilia Sykes to seek the Ohio House seat her family long has held". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron. 2013-09-17. Archived from the original on 2014-02-26. Retrieved 2014-12-10.
- ^ "Emilia Sykes in the Democratic primary for Ohio House District 34: editorial endorsement". Cleveland Plain Dealer. Cleveland. 2014-04-29. Archived from the original on 2014-12-14. Retrieved 2014-12-10.
- ^ REPORTER, Ellin Walsh |. "Sykes wins 34th Ohio State House District seat". MyTownNEO. Archived from the original on 2019-12-20. Retrieved 2019-12-20.
- ^ "Is 'Tampon Tax' discriminatory to women?". WCPO. 2016-03-31. Archived from the original on 2020-03-23. Retrieved 2020-03-23.
- ^ "Emilia Sykes named new Ohio House Democratic leader". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. 2019-01-21. Archived from the original on 2019-03-27. Retrieved 2019-03-27.
- ^ Richardson, Seth A. (March 11, 2020). "Joe Biden announces backing from Emilia Sykes, more than half of Cleveland City Council". Cleveland.com. Archived from the original on March 23, 2020. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
- ^ Mills, Emily. "Emilia Sykes wins national award for dedication to women, families". Akron Beacon Journal. Archived from the original on July 3, 2020. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
- ^ DeNatale, Dave "Dino" (January 18, 2022). "Former Ohio House Democratic Leader Emilia Sykes announces run for Congress". WKYC. Archived from the original on October 1, 2022. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
- ^ "Emilia Sykes defeats Madison Gesiotto Gilbert in 13th Congressional District race". Akron Beacon Journal.
- ^ "Endorsed Candidates". NewDem Action Fund. Retrieved 2022-12-03.
- ^ "https://twitter.com/TransportDems/status/1619152903335464963". Twitter. Retrieved 2023-01-28.
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External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Congresswoman Emilia Sykes official U.S. House website
- Emilia Sykes for Congress campaign website
- 1986 births
- 20th-century African-American people
- 20th-century African-American women
- 21st-century African-American women
- 21st-century African-American politicians
- 21st-century American politicians
- 21st-century American women politicians
- African-American members of the United States House of Representatives
- African-American state legislators in Ohio
- African-American women in politics
- Female members of the United States House of Representatives
- Fredric G. Levin College of Law alumni
- Kent State University alumni
- Left-wing populism in the United States
- Living people
- Democratic Party members of the Ohio House of Representatives
- Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Ohio
- Politicians from Akron, Ohio
- Women state legislators in Ohio