Marcia Fudge

Marcia Louise Fudge (born October 29, 1952) is an American politician serving as the U.S. Representative for Ohio's 11th congressional district since 2008. A member of the Democratic Party, she won the 2008 special election uncontested, succeeding Stephanie Tubbs Jones who died in office.[1] The district includes most areas of Cleveland and Akron. Fudge was Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus[2] in the 113th Congress.

Marcia Fudge
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Ohio's 11th district
Assumed office
November 18, 2008
Preceded byStephanie Tubbs Jones
Mayor of Warrensville Heights
In office
January 16, 2000 – November 18, 2008
Preceded byClinton Hall
Succeeded byWilliam Pegues
Personal details
Born
Marcia Louise Fudge

(1952-10-29) October 29, 1952
Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
EducationOhio State University (BS)
Cleveland State University (JD)
WebsiteHouse website

Early life, education and career

Fudge was born in Cleveland, Ohio. A 1971 graduate of Shaker Heights High School (the same class as Cleveland Mayor Jane L. Campbell),[3] she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business from Ohio State University in 1975.[4] In 1983, she earned a J.D. degree from Cleveland State University Cleveland–Marshall College of Law.[4][5]

Immediately after college, she worked as a law clerk and studied legal research. She also worked in the Cuyahoga County prosecutor's office.[6] While serving in the prosecutors' office, she worked on business aspects as she held the position of Director of Budget and Finance. Fudge has also worked as an auditor for the estate tax department and has occasionally served as a visiting judge and as a chief referee for arbitration.[7]

Early political career

Fudge was the mayor of Warrensville Heights, a middle-class and mostly African American suburb of Cleveland, from January 2000 until November 18, 2008.[8][9] Her 1999 campaign was her first run for any elected office. She was the town's first female and first African American to hold the mayorship.[10]

Fudge served as chief of staff to U.S. Representative Stephanie Tubbs Jones during Jones's first term in Congress.[11] She has also served on the board of trustees for the Cleveland Public Library.[10]

U.S. House of Representatives

Committee assignments

Caucus memberships

Political campaigns

2008
Official portrait of Fudge for the 111th Congress

After the death of Stephanie Tubbs Jones on August 20, 2008, Fudge was selected as her replacement on the November ballot by a committee of local Democratic leaders. This virtually assured her of election in this heavily Democratic, black-majority district.[15][16] Fudge won the November 4 general election, defeating Republican Thomas Pekarek with 85 percent of the vote.[17] She was unopposed in a November 18 special election for the balance of Jones' fifth term, and won with less than 9,000 votes cast.[18][19] She was sworn in on November 19, 2008.[20][21]

2010
See also: 2010 United States House of Representatives elections in Ohio § District 11

Fudge was challenged by Republican Thomas Pekarek. She was reelected with 82.5% of the vote.[22]

2012
See also: 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Ohio § District 11

Fudge defeated Gerald Carver Henley and Isaac Powell in the Democratic primary with 89.4% of the vote and ran unopposed in the general election.

2014
See also: 2014 United States House of Representatives elections in Ohio § District 11

Fudge was unopposed in the Democratic primary. She defeated Republican Mark Zetzer with 79.5% of the vote.

2016
See also: 2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Ohio § District 11
Fudge speaking at a rally for Hillary Clinton, October 2016

Fudge ran unopposed again in the Democratic primary and defeated Republican Beverly A. Goldstein in the general election with 80.3% of the vote.

2018
See also: 2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Ohio § District 11

Fudge defeated Felicia Washington Ross in the Democratic primary with 99.3% of the vote. She defeated Goldstein again in the general election with 81.9% of the vote.

Controversial role in domestic violence case

In 2015, Fudge wrote a letter asking for leniency in the sentencing of her colleague Lance Mason.[23] Mason, an Ohio trial court judge, had punched his wife more than a dozen times, bit her and slammed her head into the dashboard and window of their SUV, breaking her eye socket in front of their two young daughters

Despite the severity of the attack, Fudge described Mason as “kind,” and wrote that “Lance (...) has assured me that something like this will never happen again.” [24] Mason subsequently attacked and killed his (now) ex-wife, in 2018, stabbing her 59 times.[25] After the attack, Fudge released a statement saying she condemned the crimes committed by Mason. She said her support for Mason in 2015 was based on the person she knew for almost 30 years, writing that “the person who committed these crimes is not the Lance Mason familiar to me.” [26]

Congressional Black Caucus

During a presentation at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's 44th Annual Legislative Conference in September 2014, Fudge said that the CBC would mobilize African American voters in the 2014 midterm elections by underscoring Republican attacks on President Obama, such as claims that he was not born in the United States.[27]

Electoral history
Ohio's 11th congressional district[28]
Year Election Subject Party Votes % Opponent Party Votes % Opponent Party Votes %
2008 Special Marcia Fudge Democratic 8,597 100%
2008 General Marcia Fudge Democratic 212,485 85.2% Thomas Pekarek Republican 36,705 14.7% Craig Willis Independent 144 0.1%
2010 General Marcia Fudge Democratic 139,693 82.9% Thomas Pekarek Republican 28,754 17.1%
2012 General Marcia Fudge Democratic 258,378 100%
2014 General Marcia Fudge Democratic 132,396 79.2% Mark Zetzer Republican 34,769 20.8%
2016 General Marcia Fudge Democratic 233,285 80.1% Beverly Goldstein Republican 58,066 19.9%
2018 General Marcia Fudge Democratic 206,138 81.9% Beverly Goldstein Republican 48,866 14.9%

Personal life

Fudge is a past president of Delta Sigma Theta sorority, serving from 1996 to 2000,[29][30] and is a co-chair of the sorority's National Social Action Commission.[31][32] In 2003, she was a member of the Shaker Heights Alumni Association's Hall of Fame Class.[3]

Fudge has been a member of the Church of God (Anderson),[33][34] and is now a member of Zion Chapel Baptist Church.[7]

See also

References
  1. "Fudge Elected To Late Tubbs-Jones' Congressional Seat". WEWS-TV. November 4, 2008. Archived from the original on January 6, 2009. Retrieved November 4, 2008.
  2. "Membership". Congressional Black Caucus. Retrieved March 7, 2018.
  3. "The Shaker School Review" (PDF). Winter 2004. pp. 13–14. Archived from the original (pdf) on March 24, 2009. Retrieved March 22, 2012.
  4. Michelle McCafferty (April 10, 2006). "Alumna Spotlight: Marcia L. Fudge, ESQ". The Cauldron. Retrieved September 12, 2008.
  5. "Mayor Marcia Fudge, Esq". Call and Post. March 8, 2007. p. 6.
  6. "Cuyahoga County Prosecuting Attorney Press Conference Regarding Congressional Race". PR Newswire. February 10, 1998.
  7. "Biography". United States House of Representatives. Archived from the original on November 26, 2008. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  8. Olivera Perkins (November 19, 2008). "Marcia Fudge, with style of her own, takes congressional seat". The Plain Dealer. Retrieved November 19, 2008.
  9. "Warrensville Heights, Ohio Mayor's Inauguration". PR Newswire. January 11, 2000. Retrieved September 12, 2008.
  10. "About the Mayor". City of Warrensville Heights, Ohio. Archived from the original on June 20, 2007. Retrieved September 12, 2008.
  11. "Stephanie Tubbs Jones: A servant of the people". Call and Post. October 26, 2006. p. 1B.
  12. "Membership". Congressional Arts Caucus. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
  13. "Caucus Members". Congressional Progressive Caucus. Retrieved January 30, 2018.
  14. "Members". Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. Retrieved May 17, 2018.
  15. Greg Giroux (September 11, 2008). "Ohio Dem Fudge Hits Sweet Spot With Nomination to Succeed Late Rep. Tubbs Jones". CQ Politics. Archived from the original on September 20, 2008. Retrieved September 13, 2008.
  16. US Census Bureau. "Fast Facts for Congress". census.gov. Archived from the original on September 28, 2011. Retrieved August 19, 2015.
  17. "State Election Results – Election Center 2008 – Elections & Politics from CNN.com". cnn.com. Retrieved August 19, 2015.
  18. Fudge unopposed in special House election. WKYC-TV, November 19, 2008
  19. Ohio Elects a Member of Congress in an Election with Fewer Than 9,000 Votes Cast. Ballot Access News, November 21, 2008
  20. Edward Epstein (November 19, 2008). "Democrat Fudge Takes Oath as Newest House Member". CQ Politics. Archived from the original on November 22, 2008. Retrieved November 19, 2008.
  21. "Congressional Chronicle". C-SPAN. November 19, 2008. Archived from the original on September 30, 2011. Retrieved November 19, 2008.
  22. "The States: Ohio". CNN.com.
  23. Buffington, Randy. "Read Rep. Marcia Fudge's letter of support of Lance Mason before domestic violence conviction". https://www.cleveland19.com. Retrieved January 22, 2020. External link in |website= (help)
  24. Buffington, Randy. "Read Rep. Marcia Fudge's letter of support of Lance Mason before domestic violence conviction". https://www.cleveland19.com. Retrieved January 22, 2020. External link in |website= (help)
  25. Haag, Matthew (November 19, 2018). "Former Ohio Judge Who Beat His Wife Is Arrested in Her Stabbing Death". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 22, 2020.
  26. https://thehill.com/homenews/house/417673-marcia-fudge-once-wrote-letter-of-support-for-man-now-accused-of-murder
  27. Sabrina Eaton. "Rep. Marcia Fudge says Congressional Black Caucus will mobilize voters by stressing GOP threats to President Obama". cleveland.com. Retrieved August 19, 2015.
  28. "Election Results". Ohio Secretary of State. Archived from the original on August 15, 2012. Retrieved March 1, 2014.
  29. "Marcia Fudge elected national president of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc". Jet. September 16, 1996.
  30. "Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. – Past National Presidents". Archived from the original on September 14, 2008. Retrieved September 12, 2008.
  31. "Young women invited to meet 'Extraordinary' role models". Call & Post. October 3, 2007. p. 2B.
  32. "Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Awards Melanie L. Campbell Social Action Award". August 15, 2008. Retrieved September 12, 2008.
  33. "About the Mayor". City of Warrensville. Archived from the original on September 19, 2008. Retrieved September 12, 2008.
  34. "Listing of Fudge's church in Church of God (Anderson) directory". Archived from the original on February 21, 2009. Retrieved October 26, 2008.
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by
Stephanie Tubbs Jones		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Ohio's 11th congressional district
2008–present		 Incumbent
Preceded by
Emanuel Cleaver		 Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus
2013–2015		 Succeeded by
G. K. Butterfield
Party political offices
Preceded by
Antonio Villaraigosa		 Permanent Chair of the Democratic National Convention
2016		 Succeeded by
Bennie Thompson
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by
Steve Scalise		 United States Representatives by seniority
126th		 Succeeded by
Gerry Connolly
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