Emilia Sykes

A Rising Star

Rep. Emilia Sykes, a proven leader who served as a state representative and former House minority leader, serves in Congress to build on her life’s work of expanding opportunity for all Northeast Ohio families. Born in Akron, Ohio, Rep. Sykes grew up on the city’s west side and learned the meaning of public service from her parents. She graduated from Kent State University and went on to the University of Florida, where she earned both a Juris Doctor with a certificate in family law and a Master of Public Health. In 2014, she was elected to represent Ohio’s 34th state District in the Ohio House of Representatives, making history as Ohio’s first Black woman lawmaker under 30. In 2019, she was elected minority leader. In 2020, EMILYs List awarded her the Gabrielle Giffords Rising Star Award, which celebrates extraordinary women serving in state or local office.

A champion for Ohio families

Rep. Sykes is fighting to expand opportunity for every child, senior, and family in Northeast Ohio, and she proudly serves on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Science, Space, and Technology Committee. She is a powerful advocate for expanding economic opportunity, to fight for affordable health care and education, and to deliver for her community in Congress.  “I’m more committed than ever to guaranteeing women across this country have the freedom to make decisions about their body,” Rep. Sykes said on what should have been the 50th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade. “I will keep fighting every day to ensure women have access to the health care they need and deserve.”

A must-win reelection fight

Rep. Sykes beat the odds and defeated a Trump-endorsed extremist in a tough race in 2022, and is now mounting her first reelection campaign under unusually challenging circumstances: Ohio’s congressional maps were struck down as unconstitutional and are going to be redrawn for 2024. While we don’t know what Rep. Sykes’ district will look like, we can count on her to bring her fresh vision to Washington and to lead with courage as she fights for her community. In a cycle when Democratic turnout in this race will have implications for the House majority and even the Senate majority and control of the White House, we know Republicans will do everything in their power to defeat her — but we know Rep. Sykes has what it takes to win with the EMILYs List community supporting her every step of the way.