CLEVELAND — Besides the presidential race, control of Congress is also up for grabs across America during Tuesday's election. In the U.S. House of Representatives, Republicans currently hold a narrow edge, while Democrats are hoping to wrestle back power after two years in the minority.
One of the tightest battles in the country took place right here in Northeast Ohio, where incumbent Democratic Rep. Emilia Sykes faced off against former Republican state Sen. Kevin Coughlin in the state's 13th Congressional District.
The area includes all of Summit County, a large chunk of Stark County (including Canton), and a small sliver of Portage County.
NBC News has declared Sykes as the winner.
Although the GOP won an overall majority during the 2022 midterm elections, it was Sykes who emerged victorious in the newly redrawn 13th District, besting the Donald Trump-endorsed Madison Gesiotto Gilbert by five points. Since entering Congress, the Akron native helped introduce a bill calling stricter railroad safety regulations after the East Palestine disaster, and voted for the appropriations bill that her office says brought millions in funding to projects in the Akron-Canton community. She has focused her second campaign on issues like local job creation, public safety, abortion rights, and the environment.
A Woodridge High School graduate, Coughlin served 14 years in the Ohio General Assembly from 1997-2010, and during his time as a state senator he sponsored legislation establishing Ohio's Amber Alert system and coauthored a measure to set nutritional and physical activity standards in schools. He defeated Hudson City Councilman Chris Banweg (who had the endorsement of U.S. Sen. JD Vance) in the Republican primary, and his focused his platform on crime prevention, curbing government spending, lower taxes, and tougher border restrictions, among other things.
The editorial board for 3News media partner Cleveland.com endorsed Sykes for reelection, calling her a "pragmatic voice amid the cacophony of Washington’s divided politics." The Akron Beacon Journal did the same, albeit in a "split vote" that still lauded Coughlin for his track record as a legislator.
Coughlin released the following statement Wednesday morning:
“I want to congratulate Congresswoman Sykes on her re-election. While the result is not what we had hoped for, the values that drove this campaign -- safety, security, and affordability -- will still motivate us to create change. Ohio's 13th is a special place, and we deserve leadership who will put us first. I am beyond grateful for the family, friends, supporters, and voters who stood by our side. Our fight has only just begun!”
