- Source: Emilia Sykes
Emilia Strong Sykes (born January 4, 1986) is an American politician who is the U.S. representative for Ohio's 13th congressional district. A member of the Democratic Party, 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.
Biography
Sykes grew up in the Akron area and is the daughter of state senator Vernon Sykes and former state representative 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.
Sykes obtained a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from Kent State University. She received a Juris Doctor from the University of Florida Levin College of Law and a Master of Public Health from the College of Public Health and Health Professions.
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.
Sykes has served as an administrative adviser in the Summit County fiscal office. In 2013, she ran for the Ohio House of Representatives to succeed her father, Vernon, who was term-limited. She defeated Summit County councilman Frank Communale to secure the Democratic nomination, and Republican nominee Cynthia Blake 72%–28% in the general election.
In 2015, Sykes and fellow Democratic lawmaker Greta Johnson introduced a bill that sought to exempt feminine hygiene products from sales tax.
In 2019, Sykes was elected the leader of the Democrats in the Ohio House, becoming minority leader.
During the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries, Sykes supported Joe Biden.
Sykes won the EMILY's List 2020 Gabby Giffords Rising Star Award.
U.S. House of Representatives
= Elections
=
2022
In January 2022, Sykes announced her candidacy for Ohio's 13th congressional district.
In November 2022, she won the general election, defeating Republican nominee Madison Gesiotto Gilbert in an upset.
2024
Sykes won reelection in 2024 against former Republican state representative Kevin Coughlin in a close election.
= Tenure
=
Speaker of the House vote
Sykes cast her first votes on January 3, 2023, voting multiple times for Democrat Rep. Hakeem Jeffries to serve as Speaker of the House.
COVID-19 policy
On January 31, 2023, Sykes voted against H.R.497:Freedom for Health Care Workers Act, a bill which would remove COVID-19 vaccine mandates for healthcare workers.
On February 1, 2023, Sykes voted against a resolution to end COVID-19 national emergency.
Infrastructure
In March 2023, Sykes and Rep. Bill Johnson (R-OH) cosponsored the bipartisan RAIL Act (H.R.1633) which is an attempt to improve railroad safety.
Syria
On March 8, 2023, Sykes voted against H.Con.Res. 21 which directed President Joe Biden to remove U.S. troops from Syria within 180 days.
Voting rights
On February 9, 2023, Sykes voted against H.J.Res.24: Disapproving the action of the District of Columbia Council in approving the Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2022, which would nullify the District of Columbia's law that allows noncitizen residents to vote in local elections.
= Caucus memberships
=
The following is a partial list of Sykes' caucus memberships:
Congressional Black Caucus
Bipartisan Women's Caucus, vice-chair
New Democrat Coalition, vice-chair of the Affordable Housing Taskforce
Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus
Democratic Women's Caucus
Congressional Equality Caucus
Problem Solvers Caucus, Working Group on Pharmaceutical Affordability and Access
Women in STEM Caucus
Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition
= Committee assignments
=
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee (vice ranking member)
Highways and Transit Subcommittee
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
Research and Technology Subcommittee
Electoral history
See also
List of African-American United States representatives
Women in the United States House of Representatives
References
External links
Congresswoman Emilia Sykes official U.S. House website
Emilia Sykes for Congress campaign website
Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
Legislation sponsored at the Library of Congress
Profile at Vote Smart
Appearances on C-SPAN
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