Turner Vs Brown: Ohio 11th Special Primary, What To Know

Cleveland OH

02 August, 2021

6:25 PM

Description

CLEVELAND — Voters will move one step closer to picking Marcia Fudge's replacement during a special election primary vote on Tuesday. Ohio's 11th Congressional District, a Democratic stronghold, had been represented by Fudge since 2008. President Joe Biden then selected her to lead the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Her departure created a small vacuum in Northeast Ohio politics. Into that vacuum came a bevy of Democratic contenders seeking to fill that space. Two challengers have risen to the top of the field and each seeks to replace Fudge in their own way: Nina Turner and Shontel Brown. Both candidates are backed by high-profile party peers, though they represent vastly different sides of the Democratic political spectrum. Turner identifies with the more progressive wing of the party. She's enjoyed support from Sen. Bernie Sanders, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Dr. Cornel West, all of whom have made stops in Cleveland to rally voters to her side. Brown aligns more closely with moderate Democrats, specifically tying her image to Biden and Hillary Clinton. In many ways, the battle between Turner and Brown is a rehash of the 2016 Democratic primary challenge between Sanders and Clinton, which splintered the party into two factions which have rarely re-aligned since. And, like in 2016, the race between two party members has grown bitter and vitriolic, with acidic mailers crowding mailboxes throughout the district. When voters select a Democratic winner, they'll almost assuredly be selecting Fudge's replacement. While Republicans will field a contender to face the winner in the general — either Laverne Gore or Felicia Ross — Democrats have kept a lock on the 11th district for decades. Here's everything you need to know to vote on Tuesday: Polls open: 6:30 a.m.Polls close: 7:30 p.m. Find your polling place. Who's on the ballot? Democrats Shontel BrownNina TurnerMartin AlexanderJohn E. Barnes Jr.James Jerome BellSeth J. CoreyJeff JohnsonWill KnightPamela M. PickneyIsaac PowellLateek ShabazzTariq K. ShabazzShirley Smith Republicans Felicia Washington RossLaverne Gore Ohio's 11th Congressional District includes Cleveland, its eastern suburbs like Cleveland Heights, and slices south, extending all the way to part of Akron.