Marcia Fudge

Marcia Fudge
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Ohio's 11th district
Assumed office
November 18, 2008
Preceded by Stephanie Tubbs Jones
Mayor of Warrensville Heights
In office
January 16, 2000 – November 18, 2008
Preceded by Clinton Hall
Succeeded by William Pegues
Personal details
Born Marcia Louise Fudge
(1952-10-29) October 29, 1952
Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
Political party Democratic
Alma mater Ohio State University
Cleveland State University
Religion Baptist

Marcia Louise Fudge (born October 29, 1952) is the U.S. Representative for Ohio's 11th congressional district, serving since 2008. She is a member of the Democratic Party.[1] The district includes most of the black-majority areas between Cleveland and Akron. Fudge was Chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus in the 113th Congress. Fudge was chosen to replace Debbie Wasserman Schultz as chair of the 2016 Democratic National Convention after a leak of internal documents released by Wikileaks.[2]

Early life, education and career

Earlier official photo of Fudge

Fudge was born in Cleveland, Ohio. A 1971 graduate of Shaker Heights High School,[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 mayor.[10]

She was chief of staff to 11th District Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones during Jones' 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

After Jones' unexpected death on August 20, 2008, Fudge was selected as Jones' 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.[12][13] Fudge won the November 4 general election, defeating Republican Thomas Pekarek with 85 percent of the vote.[14] 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.[15][16] She was sworn in on November 19, 2008.[17][18]

2010

Fudge was challenged by Republican Thomas Pekarek. She was re-elected with 82.5% of the vote.[19]

2012

Fudge defeated a couple of minor candidates in the Democratic primary, and ran unopposed in the general election.

2014 midterm election comments

Fudge speaking at a rally for Hillary Clinton, October 2016

During a presentation at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's 44th Annual Legislative Conference in September, 2014, Rep. Fudge commented on the indispensability of black voters. Rep. Fudge said, "If we don't vote, believe it or not they are going to file articles of impeachment against our President. If we don't vote, the street in front of your house is not going to get fixed. If we don't vote, we're going to have hungry children across this country".[20]

She also predicted GOP members of Congress would "try to make our president an illegitimate president" with claims that he wasn't born in the United States, wasn't smart enough to attend Harvard, and ignores the laws.[21]

"We will have two more years of that foolishness if they take back the Senate and get a few more seats in the House," said Fudge, a Warrensville Heights Democrat, who predicted voters "will be standing in the line waiting for the doors to open" at the polls when they hear what members of her group have to say.[21]

Rep. Fudge, during the Congressional Black Caucus town hall meeting, chastised voters for complaining, and emphasized that the Congressional Black Caucus was fighting for them. Rep. Fudge commented, "The black caucus fights for you every day. Even when you won’t fight for yourself. We fight for you. Whether it’s immigration or education, whether it’s food stamps or housing, we fight for you every day. So my message to you is to contain your complaining." [22]

Electoral history

Ohio's 11th congressional district[23]
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%

Personal life

Fudge is a past president of Delta Sigma Theta sorority, serving from 1996 to 2000,[24][25] and is a co-chair of the sorority's National Social Action Commission.[26][27] 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),[28][29] and is now a member of Zion Chapel Baptist Church.[7]

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. ↑ "Marcia Fudge To Replace Wasserman Schultz As Chair Of Democratic National Convention". Daily Caller. July 24, 2016. Retrieved July 24, 2016.
  3. 1 2 "The Shaker School Review" (PDF). Winter 2004. pp. 13–14. Archived from the original (pdf) on March 24, 2009. Retrieved March 22, 2012.
  4. 1 2 Michelle McCafferty (April 10, 2006). "Alumna Spotlight: Marcia L. Fudge, ESQ". The Cauldron. Retrieved September 12, 2008.
  5. ↑ "Mayor Marcia Fudge, Esq.". Call & Post. March 8, 2007. p. 6.
  6. ↑ "Cuyahoga County Prosecuting Attorney Press Conference Regarding Congressional Race". PR Newswire. February 10, 1998.
  7. 1 2 "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. 1 2 "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 & Post. October 26, 2006. p. 1B.
  12. ↑ Greg Giroux (September 11, 2008). "Ohio Dem Fudge Hits Sweet Spot With Nomination to Succeed Late Rep. Tubbs Jones". CQ Politics. Retrieved September 13, 2008.
  13. ↑ US Census Bureau. "Fast Facts for Congress". census.gov. Retrieved August 19, 2015.
  14. ↑ "State Election Results – Election Center 2008 – Elections & Politics from CNN.com". cnn.com. Retrieved August 19, 2015.
  15. ↑ Fudge unopposed in special House election. WKYC-TV, November 19, 2008
  16. ↑ Ohio Elects a Member of Congress in an Election with Fewer Than 9,000 Votes Cast. Ballot Access News, November 21, 2008
  17. ↑ Edward Epstein (November 19, 2008). "Democrat Fudge Takes Oath as Newest House Member". CQ Politics. Retrieved November 19, 2008.
  18. ↑ "Congressional Chronicle". C-SPAN. November 19, 2008. Retrieved November 19, 2008.
  19. ↑ "The States: Ohio". CNN.com.
  20. ↑ "Dem Rep: If Blacks Don't Vote, Kids Will Go Hungry » DailySurge". DailySurge. Retrieved August 19, 2015.
  21. 1 2 "Rep. Marcia Fudge says Congressional Black Caucus will mobilize voters by stressing GOP threats to President Obama". cleveland.com. Retrieved August 19, 2015.
  22. ↑ Robert Gehl. "Dem. Black Congresswoman to Black Democrats: We Give You Food Stamps, So Quit Your Bitching!". Downtrend. Retrieved August 19, 2015.
  23. ↑ "Election Results". Ohio Secretary of State. Retrieved 2014-03-01.
  24. ↑ "Marcia Fudge elected national president of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.". Jet. September 16, 1996.
  25. ↑ "Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. – Past National Presidents". Retrieved September 12, 2008.
  26. ↑ "Young women invited to meet 'Extraordinary' role models". Call & Post. October 3, 2007. p. 2B.
  27. ↑ "Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Awards Melanie L. Campbell Social Action Award". August 15, 2008. Retrieved September 12, 2008.
  28. ↑ "About the Mayor". City of Warrensville. Archived from the original on September 19, 2008. Retrieved September 12, 2008.
  29. ↑ "Listing of Fudge's church in Church of God (Anderson) directory". Retrieved October 26, 2008.
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