Shontel Brown

Shontel Brown is a Democratic U.S. Representative for Ohio's 11th congressional district, first elected in a 2021 special election to succeed Marcia Fudge. Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, she earned an associate degree from Cuyahoga Community College and a bachelor's degree in organizational management from Wilberforce University. Before her career in public service, Brown worked as a marketing professional in the private sector and founded her own firm, Diversified Digital Solutions. Brown's political career began on the Warrensville Heights City Council in 2012, followed by her election to the Cuyahoga County Council in 2014. In 2017, she became the first woman and the first Black person to chair the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party. In Congress, she serves on the House Agriculture Committee and the Committee on Oversight and Accountability. Her legislative priorities have included addressing food insecurity, supporting veterans' health services, and securing infrastructure investments for Northeast Ohio, such as those through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

Brown advocates for universal healthcare through a public option and has emphasized the need to lower prescription drug costs and address racial disparities in health outcomes, having sponsored legislation declaring racism a public health crisis at the county level. Her economic platform focuses on labor rights, raising the minimum wage, and expanding the Child Tax Credit to support working families. She is a strong supporter of environmental protections and infrastructure, advocating for lead pipe abatement and clean water initiatives. On foreign policy, she is a vocal supporter of the U.S.-Israel relationship, cosponsoring the Israel Relations Normalization Act. Additionally, she supports gun control measures, including universal background checks and closing loopholes for firearm sales.