Shontel Monique Brown[1] (born June 24, 1975)[2][3] is an American politician who has served as the U.S. representative for Ohio's 11th congressional district since 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, Brown previously served as a member of the Cuyahoga County Council, representing the 9th district.[4] She won her congressional seat in a special election on November 2, 2021, after Marcia Fudge resigned to become Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under President Joe Biden.[5]

Shontel Brown
Brown in 2021
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Ohio's 11th district
Assumed office
November 4, 2021
Preceded byMarcia Fudge
Member of the Cuyahoga County Council
from the 9th district
In office
January 1, 2015 – November 4, 2021
Preceded byEllen Connally
Succeeded byMeredith Turner
Personal details
Born
Shontel Monique Brown

(1975-06-24) June 24, 1975 (age 49)
Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
EducationCuyahoga Community College (AS)
Wilberforce University (BS)
WebsiteHouse website

Early life and education

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Brown earned an Associate of Science degree in business management from Cuyahoga Community College.[6] She has a Bachelor of Science degree in organizational management from Wilberforce University.[7][8][9]

Brown is a Baptist.[10][11]

Career

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Brown founded Diversified Digital Solutions, a marketing support company.[4] She was elected to the Warrensville Heights City Council in 2011, where she held office for three years. In 2014, she was elected to the 9th District on the Cuyahoga County Council, succeeding Councilwoman C. Ellen Connally. Her district includes much of eastern Cuyahoga County, including Warrensville Heights, Bedford, Shaker Heights, Orange, and part of eastern Cleveland.[12] In 2017, she was elected chair of the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party, defeating State Senator Sandra Williams and Newburgh Heights Mayor Trevor Elkins.[12] Upon taking office, Brown became the first woman and the first African American to serve as Cuyahoga County Democratic party chair.[12][3]

U.S. House of Representatives

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Elections

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Brown being sworn in by Speaker Nancy Pelosi in November 2021
 
Brown with Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb in 2022
 
Brown with President Joe Biden in 2022

2021 special

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On March 10, 2021, Marcia Fudge resigned her seat in the United States House of Representatives after being confirmed by the United States Senate to serve as the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development in the Biden administration. Governor Mike DeWine set the primary date for August 3, concurrent with the special election in Ohio's 15th congressional district.[13][14] The general election was on November 2. Shontel Brown won both the competitive Democratic primary and the general election, and was sworn in on November 4.

2022

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Brown defeated state Senator Nina Turner in the May 3, 2022, Democratic primary for the 11th district.[15] She was endorsed by President Joe Biden and the Congressional Progressive Caucus;[16] the Congressional Progressive Caucus had supported Turner in the Democratic primary for Ohio's 11th congressional district special election in 2021.[17]

Committee assignments

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Caucus memberships

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Political positions

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As a U.S. representative, Brown supported the Build Back Better Act.[24] As of 2022, Brown has voted with President Joe Biden's stated position 100% of the time, according to FiveThirtyEight.[25]

Brown voted to provide Israel with support following 2023 Hamas attack on Israel.[26][27] Brown received 4.5 million dollars in campaign donations from pro-Israel sources.[28]

Electoral history

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2022 Ohio's 11th congressional district election

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Democratic primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Shontel Brown (incumbent) 40,517 66.5
Democratic Nina Turner 20,395 33.5
Total votes 60,912 100.0
Ohio's 11th congressional district election, 2022
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Shontel Brown (incumbent) 162,722 77.8
Republican Eric Brewer 46,988 22.2
Total votes 215,710 100.0

2021 Ohio's 11th congressional district special election

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Democratic primary results[29]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Shontel Brown 38,505 50.11%
Democratic Nina Turner 34,239 44.56%
Democratic Jeff Johnson 1,388 1.81%
Democratic John E. Barnes Jr. 801 1.04%
Democratic Shirley Smith 599 0.78%
Democratic Seth J. Corey 493 0.64%
Democratic Pamela M. Pinkney 184 0.24%
Democratic Will Knight 182 0.24%
Democratic Tariq Shabazz 134 0.17%
Democratic Martin Alexander 105 0.14%
Democratic James Jerome Bell 101 0.13%
Democratic Lateek Shabazz 61 0.08%
Democratic Isaac Powell 52 0.07%
Total votes 76,844 100.0%
Ohio's 11th congressional district special election, 2021[30]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Shontel Brown 81,636 78.8%
Republican Laverne Gore 21,929 21.2%
Total votes 103,565 100.0%

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Shontel Brown". Retrieved November 10, 2021.
  2. ^ Brown, Shontel [@ShontelMBrown] (June 24, 2021). "Sending you major Birthday wishes today from Council President Nakeshia Nickerson, Woodmere Village" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  3. ^ a b Richardson, Seth A. (June 2, 2021). "Shontel Brown Q&A: where the major 11th Congressional District candidates stand". Cleveland.com. ... Brown, 45 ... .
  4. ^ a b "Shontel Brown profile on Cuyahoga City Council website". Cuyahoga County Council. Cuyahoga County. Archived from the original on September 11, 2015. Retrieved March 14, 2021.
  5. ^ Jan, Tracy (March 11, 2021). "Marcia Fudge confirmed as first Black woman to lead HUD in more than 40 years". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  6. ^ Cassano, Erik. "County Democratic Party Chair Started Her Path at Tri-C". Tri-C. Cuyahoga Community College. Archived from the original on August 6, 2020. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
  7. ^ Livingston, Doug (July 14, 2021). "11th Congressional District candidate Shontel Brown acquaints herself with Akron voters". Akron Beacon Journal. Retrieved August 6, 2021.
  8. ^ "Meet the candidates for Ohio's 11th Congressional District". Cleveland Jewish News. July 9, 2021. Retrieved August 6, 2021.
  9. ^ "Congresswoman Shontel Brown, WU Class of '22 Will Keynote Her Commencement". Dayton Weekly Online. July 14, 2021. Retrieved April 28, 2022.
  10. ^ "Religious affiliation of members of 118th Congress" (PDF). PEW Research Center. Retrieved May 13, 2023.
  11. ^ "Faith on the Hill: The religious composition of the 118th Congress". Pew Research Center. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
  12. ^ a b c Hannan, Sheehan (December 6, 2017). "Shontel Brown Hopes To Bring People Together". Cleveland Magazine. Retrieved December 6, 2017.
  13. ^ Richardson, Seth (March 18, 2021). "Gov. Mike DeWine sets Aug. 3 primary date for special election to succeed Marcia Fudge". The Plain-Dealer. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  14. ^ DeNatale, Dave (March 18, 2021). "Election for Ohio's 11th Congressional District will be held on November 2, 2021". WKYC. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  15. ^ Gomez, Henry J. (May 3, 2022). "Rep. Shontel Brown of Ohio beats Nina Turner in Democratic primary rematch". NBC News. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
  16. ^ Eaton, Sabrina; clevel; .com (May 4, 2022). "U.S. Rep. Shontel Brown wins 11th district Democratic rematch with former Ohio Sen. Nina Turner; Eric Brewer ahead in GOP race". cleveland. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
  17. ^ Gomez, Henry (May 4, 2022). "Rep. Shontel Brown of Ohio beats Nina Turner in Democratic primary rematch". NBC News. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
  18. ^ "Membership". February 7, 2023.
  19. ^ "Committees and Caucuses". Representative Shontel Brown. January 3, 2021. Retrieved January 1, 2022.
  20. ^ "Caucus members". Congressional Equality Caucus. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  21. ^ "New Democrat Coalition Celebrates Addition of New Members Reps. Shontel Brown and Nikema Williams". www.newdemocratcoalition.house.gov. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  22. ^ "Caucus Members". Congressional Progressive Caucus. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  23. ^ "Membership". Congressional Caucus for the Equal Rights Amendment. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
  24. ^ Ujek, Will (November 8, 2021). "Newly elected to Congress, Shontel Brown faces whirlwind start". wkyc. Retrieved May 1, 2022.
  25. ^ Bycoffe, Anna Wiederkehr and Aaron (April 22, 2021). "Does Your Member Of Congress Vote With Or Against Biden?". FiveThirtyEight. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  26. ^ Demirjian, Karoun (October 25, 2023). "House Declares Solidarity With Israel in First Legislation Under New Speaker". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
  27. ^ Washington, U. S. Capitol Room H154; p:225-7000, DC 20515-6601 (October 25, 2023). "Roll Call 528 Roll Call 528, Bill Number: H. Res. 771, 118th Congress, 1st Session". Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives. Retrieved October 30, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  28. ^ Perkins, Tom; Craft, Will (January 10, 2024). "Revealed: Congress backers of Gaza war received most from pro-Israel donors". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  29. ^ "2021 OFFICIAL ELECTION RESULTS". Ohio Secretary of State. Archived from the original on September 7, 2021. Retrieved September 6, 2021.
  30. ^ "2021 Ohio Special Congressional Election Results". The New York Times. November 4, 2021. Retrieved November 4, 2021.
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Political offices
Preceded by
Ellen Connally
Member of the Cuyahoga County Council
from the 9th district

2015–2021
Vacant
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Ohio's 11th congressional district

2021–present
Incumbent
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by United States representatives by seniority
345th
Succeeded by