Congresswoman-elect Emilia Sykes: 'I want to make it easy to live in Northeast Ohio.'

Come Tuesday, many Stark County residents will be represented by new Congresswoman Emilia Sykes, a state representative from Akron whose family is deeply rooted in public service.

The U.S. 13th District now encompasses all of Summit County, a sliver of Portage County and northwestern Stark, including much of Jackson Township, Canal Fulton, Lawrence Township, North Canton and Plain Township.

More:'An insult to democracy': Ohio Republicans' redistricting plan panned soon after release

After Rep. Tim Ryan gave up the seat to run for the U.S. Senate, the race for the 13th became one of the most expensive in the country. Sykes, a Democrat, defeated Republican Madison Gesiotto-Gilbert, a Jackson Township resident and former women's strategist for former President Donald Trump, by capturing 52.6% of the district vote.

"I was able to win this race because we focused on voters in this district," she said. "We made our way into every corner of this district. I talked about my experiences. One of the things we found is that people want to be heard and listened to."

While Gesiotto-Gilbert won 55% of the vote in Stark County, Sykes believes actively campaigning in Stark County and her previous visits over the years factored in her overall win.

"I spent time with (state representative) Tom West in town halls over the years as a colleague," Sykes said. "Those experiences were very helpful. I had a base level of relationships, so I wasn't a complete stranger in Stark County."

Sykes' plan: Reducing costs, onshoring more jobs

Sykes, a graduate of Kent State University who earned a law degree and a master's degree in public health from the University of Florida, has represented Ohio's 34th House District since being elected in November 2014. During her tenure, she has been assistant whip, minority whip and minority leader, along with membership in the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus.

She said residents in Ohio communities share many of the same concerns.

"We heard a lot about inflation and the cost of goods and services, and affordable housing," she said. "People want opportunities for their family members to live here and stay here if they choose to."

Sykes said she doesn't yet know which congressional committee she'll be assigned to, but her legislative efforts will be focused on keeping consumer costs down and supporting public safety.

In the Ohio House, Sykes focused on voting rights and criminal justice reform. She helped lead a bipartisan effort to increase awareness of teen-dating violence and the prevention of domestic violence through the passage of House Bill 94, which was unanimously approved.

One of her goals as a congressional lawmaker includes "onshoring" more jobs to Northeast Ohio.

"We have to recognize that the cost of living is very much connected to supply chains that were wrecked during COVID," she said. "This is a region with a rich manufacturing history. With the Hoover plant leaving and Diebold (downsizing), when those jobs left, they took community members and opportunities with them. I've connected with Jobs Ohio and told them I am available and ready to help in any way I can. I want to make it easy to live in Northeast Ohio."

She's also interested in conversations to restore the Child Tax Credit, which was temporarily expanded under President Joe Biden's American Rescue Plan in 2021. Under the plan, the tax credit was increased from $2,000 to $3,000 per child for children over 6 years old and from $2,000 to $3,600 for children under 6. The age limit also was raised from 16 to 17, and families received full credit if they made up to $150,000 for a couple or $112,500 for a singe-parent family.

Congress declined to renew the expanded credit when it expired in July 2022.

"When it was enacted, the child-poverty rate was reduced by half," she said. "It was one of the most effective poverty-reduction programs we've ever seen."

More:Should the temporary expansion of the Child Tax Credit from $2,000 to $3,600 be permanent?

Sykes said she also will support any legislative effort to restore the expanded Earned Income Tax Credit, because it's "just getting more money in people's pockets."

Other goals, she said, include protecting and preserving Social Security; making sure law enforcement agencies are adequately equipped while also requiring accountability; improving Ohio's maternal health care outcomes; and ensuring that hospitals in Northeast Ohio are properly and promptly reimbursed.

More:Ohio Democrats call for police reforms, training in anti-racism and mental health

The Rev. Hector McDaniel, president of the Stark County Branch of the NAACP, said Sykes' legislative priorities, and her family's history of public service, should benefit the local community.

"The things that stand out about her are public health, job creation and her strong ties to the middle class," he said.

McDaniel also cited Sykes' strong ties to labor.

"I believe that is going to be important to Stark County," he said. "There are still a lot of projects right now that are going to need labor. We're looking to her to support diversity."

Reactions to Sykes from Stark County Dems

Sykes said another one of her priorities will be improving connectivity between the 13th District's offices and its constituents. She said she is committed to opening a district office in the Canton area ad has talked with Mayor Thomas Bernabei about suggestions.

"There will be people there regularly when we're not out in the field," Sykes said.

Bernabei is optimistic that Sykes will serve the area well.

"My impression of her is very positive," he said. "She is a very well-educated, talented, personable, sincere and committed person. I think she will be a rising star in Congress and will be a very capable and dedicated representative for our district."

Stark County Democratic Party Chairman Samuel J. Ferruccio Jr. believes Sykes will be an effective advocate for the county and the district. He said the attack ads against Sykes were ineffective because voters don't want extremism.

"The Republicans had some bad candidates, and in this particular case, that was borne out by the ads," he said.

Sykes comes from a politically active family. Her father, Vernon, is a state senator for the 28th District, which encompasses Akron. A professor emeritus in political science at Kent State University, he is the former director of the university's Columbus Program in State Issues and parliamentarian of the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus. He also served on Akron City Council and as a state representative.

Her mother, Barbara, was a three-term state representative, a former Summit County deputy auditor, past president of the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus and the first Black woman to serve on Akron City Council. She currently is president and CEO of the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus Foundation.

"The best thing I've learned from them is you work for people who elected you," she said. "This is not my seat, this is your seat; I'm merely holding it until you decide otherwise. This is a servant job. I need to listen. I need to be responsive."

Her husband, Kevin Boyce, is a Franklin County commissioner who previously served as state treasurer and a state representative.

Sykes said that apart from her parents, her other political role models include the late Cleveland Mayor Carl Stokes and his late brother U.S. Rep. Louis Stokes and the late Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones, also of Cleveland.

"Stephanie Tubbs Jones was near and dear to my family, " she said. "She was a trailblazer. I also find inspiration in Shirley Chisholm. I was reading her biography during the pandemic, and it was surprising to me that some of the same things she was dealing with, I was still dealing with as a state legislator 40 to 50 years later."

More:Sykes files security complaint with Ohio Sergeant-at-Arms

In 2016, Sykes filed a formal complaint with the Ohio House sergeant-at-arms, contending that security officers profiled Black women legislators entering the Statehouse. She also filed a complaint with the Ohio Civil Rights Commission.

A super-minority member in the House

Sykes said her current experience as a legislator and former House Minority Leader where Democrats are a "super minority" will help her navigate in a Congress where Republicans are the majority party.

"I've been very successful," she said. "I've been able to work with Republicans. That means working with people who might not always agree with you. I have learned a lot of lessons, working with humility, patience and (persistence) in trying to get to 'yes.' Coming from a super minority, I think it will serve me very well."

Sykes and a contingent of House Democrats fielded criticism in 2021 when they threw their support to former House Speaker Larry Householder in exchange for more influence in House operations and Householder's help in blocking a bill that would have imperiled collective bargaining.

Householder was removed from office in 2021 amid an FBI corruption investigation. He has denied the charges and is awaiting trial.

Sykes said the strategy was a pragmatic decision because House Democrats had no way of electing a Democrat as speaker.

More:Are Democrats still satisfied with deal that made GOP's Larry Householder Ohio House speaker?

"After a lot of turmoil, we were provided with two options, neither of which we were excited or happy about," she said. "You get a 'yes' or 'no' vote. The decision was ultimately made, and Mr. Householder was elected. You have to work with the speaker; we didn't have an alternative person to work with. We certainly wish he would have made different choices. It is disappointing. He'll have to answer for those decisions."

For the next few weeks, she'll be engaged in orientations, meetings, seminars and an "office lottery" through which new members of Congress select their working spaces.

"I'm looking forward to meeting my colleagues," she said. "It will be interesting to hear what inspired them to run. It's just another reminder of how important our democracy is, and working with people who support it."

Reach Charita at 330-580-8313 or charita.goshay@cantonrep.com

On Twitter: @cgoshayREP

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Newly elected Emilia Sykes says Stark's interests will be represented