Marcia Fudge

Marcia Fudge
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Ohio's 11th district
Incumbent
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. 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.

Early life, education and career

File:Marcia Fudge official portrait.jpg

Earlier official photo of Fudge

Fudge, a 1971 graduate of Shaker Heights High School, earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business from Ohio State University in 1975. In 1983, she earned a law degree from Cleveland–Marshall College of Law, part of Cleveland State University.

Immediately after college, she worked as a law clerk and studied legal research. She also worked in the Cuyahoga County prosecutor's office. 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.

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. Her 1999 campaign was her first run for any elected office. She was the town's first female and first African-American mayor.

She was chief of staff to 11th District Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones during Jones' first term in Congress. She has also served on the board of trustees for the Cleveland Public Library.

U.S. House of Representatives

Committee assignments

• Committee on Agriculture
  • Subcommittee on Conservation, Energy, and Forestry
  • Subcommittee on Department Operations, Oversight, and Credit (Ranking Member)
• Committee on Science, Space and Technology
  • Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics

Caucus Memberships

• Congressional Arts Caucus
• Congressional Progressive Caucus

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. Fudge won the November 4 general election, defeating Republican Thomas Pekarek with 85 percent of the vote. 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. She was sworn in on November 19, 2008.

2010

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

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

2012

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

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

2014 midterm election comments

During a presentation at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation 44th Annual Legislative Conference in September 2014 Rep. Fudge commented on the need for black voters to get out and "vote". 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".

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

"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.

Rep. Fudge, during the Congressional Black Caucus town hall meeting chastised voters for complaining and reminded them 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."

Electoral history

Ohio's 11th congressional district

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%

Personal life

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

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

External links

• Congresswoman Marcia L. Fudge official U.S. House site
• Marcia L. Fudge for Congress
• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Profile at Project Vote Smart
• Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
• Legislation sponsored at The Library of Congress

United States 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	Chairperson of the Congressional Black Caucus 2013–2015	Succeeded by G. K. Butterfield
United States order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by Donna Edwards	United States Representatives by seniority 192nd	Succeeded by Rick Nolan