OHIO — Shontel Brown won Tuesday’s special election primary Tuesday in Ohio’s 11th Congressional District, defeating progressive Nina Turner, a former state senator.
Brown is now the favorite to win the November general election against Republican Laverne Gore, who won Tuesday’s Republican primary.
“As essentially the next member of the 11th Congressional District, the next member of Congress, I can walk in the door with good relationships,” Brown said following her victory, per AP News. “I get the recognition,” Brown said, “but this was a collaborative partnership of the community.”
Brown is a Cuyahoga County councilmember and is also the county’s Democratic Party chair. Brown will be succeeding former incumbent Marcia Fudge, her mentor. She received endorsements from Hillary Clinton and South Carolina Congressman Jim Clyburn.
“I do this work for the people,” Brown said in her victory speech. “That has always been my foundation. That has always been my moral compass. That has always been my guiding force in this work that I intentionally describe as public service because I know I work for you.”
Turner blamed the super PACs for her loss.
“I am going to work hard to ensure that something like this never happens to a progressive candidate again,” she said. “We didn’t lose this race — the evil money manipulated and maligned this election.”
The Democrat served as a chief surrogate for Sen. Bernie Sanders’ presidential bids and received endorsements from Sanders, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and the Justice Democrats, a leading progressive group.
She pledged a victorious comeback.
“Don’t leave this place sad,” Turner told her crowd of supporters. “Don’t leave this place depressed. I want you to leave this celebration more resolute, because we still have more work to do.”
“This ain’t over,” she said.
