Democrats in the Ohio House will meet soon to select a new head of their caucus, with minority leader Emilia Sykes of Akron has announced she’s stepping down after three years in that position.
Rep. Emilia Sykes, 35, is a lawyer with a masters in public health and next year is term limited. She said in her statement that she’s not stepping away from service – “far from it”, and that she’s considering any and all options, in elected office or as a private citizen.
Change coming at the Ohio Statehouse: House Minority Leader @EmiliaSykesOH to step down from that post at the end of this month. pic.twitter.com/TyAEnT5i3h
— Karen Kasler (@karenkasler) December 8, 2021
In an interview a year ago, Sykes described herself as a “reluctant legislator” who didn’t have a path to higher office planned out, but she added: “If there’s an opportunity that present itself and I feel like I can win, I can do a good job, I can continue to serve people effectively, then I’ll certainly look into it.”
Sykes worked to get cameras into House committee rooms, a project that had been discussed for years. Sykes has sponsored and backed bills on increasing gun regulations, dating violence and the gender pay gap. Sykes spoke out on issues involving racism, including the resolutions to declare racism a public health crisis and the racial health gap, and asked for an investigation after she said she was unfairly singled out by Statehouse security.
Sykes took over after a shakeup among House Democrats in January 2019. Then-minority leader Fred Strahorn stepped down after backing incumbent Republican Ryan Smith for speaker, while Sykes and most of the House Democratic caucus worked with and backed Larry Householder, who won. Householder was removed from leadership after being arrested in the nuclear bailout corruption scandal last year and was expelled from the House this year.
Sykes is widely considered to be preparing to run for the 11th Congressional district, won this year by Cuyahoga County Democratic Party chair Shontel Brown after a tough primary against former state senator Nina Turner.
The 11th district, as drawn and approved by Republicans and currently being challenged in court, is one of only two of Ohio’s 15 districts specifically designated as likely to be won by a Democrat.
A Sykes has served in the House seat representing the Akron area since 1983. Vernon Sykes, now in his second Senate term, serving in the House from 1983 to 2000 and left because of term limits. His wife Barbara served till 2006, when Vernon Sykes then won the seat again. Emilia Sykes, their daughter, succeeded her father in 2015.
Emilia and Vernon Sykes both served on the Ohio Redistricting Commission this year.
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