U.S. Rep. Emilia Sykes, D-Akron, was leading the race for Ohio District 13 with 55.2% of the votes, while her opponent, Republican Kevin Coughlin, had 44.8%, with 47% of the votes counted, according to the Associated Press.
Nearly three hours into his watch party at Ohio Brewing Company in Cuyahoga Falls, Coughlin made a brief appearance before local media at 10:35 p.m. to discuss what he termed a delay in voting results from the Summit County Board of Elections.
“We have no idea how long it’s going to take full results to start getting in,” a visibly frustrated Coughlin said. The candidate added his campaign would shut down for the evening.
The 13th Congressional District — which includes Summit County, northern Stark County and part of southwestern Portage County — has been the battleground of one of the most competitive races in the nation.
In 2022, Sykes won the district by 14,000 votes. She earned 52.7% of all votes while Republican Madison Gesiotto Gilbert received 47.3%.
The last Republican elected to the District 13 seat was Charles Mosher in 1974. Still, Republicans hold an eight-seat majority in the U.S. House.
Coughlin, a former member of the Ohio House of Representatives and State Senate, said winning a “toss-up” seat is not new territory for him, as he’s won seven toss-up seats and flipped seats twice.
Representing a 50-50 district is “about not ignoring people,” Coughlin said. “It’s about listening to people, even those who don’t agree with you. It’s about delivering for people that you know are going to vote against you in the next election.”
Both candidates have barnstormed the district in hopes of gaining votes.
Outside Buchtel Community Learning Center Tuesday evening, Sykes greeted volunteers and voters — many of whom were voting for the first time.
“People are ready to make sure that we are going forward, that we are not going back to hatred, to division, that we are charting a new way forward,” Sykes said, “and making sure that we’re protecting our freedoms, protecting our democracy and making sure that our communities are the best communities ever.”
Sykes praises the ‘top-notch’ team behind her campaign
By 8:30 p.m., the crowd was buzzing at the Summit County Democratic Party’s election night watch party at the Knight Stage in downtown Akron. A TV in the corner displayed the CBS News broadcast, giving live updates on the national races, but attention was elsewhere — attendees took selfies around the room and chatted over drinks.
In attendance were Sykes’ supporters, her campaign team and her father, State Senator Vernon Sykes, along with Akron City Council members and members of the Summit County Democratic Party — including County Executive Ilene Shapiro.
The Knight Stage, where Sykes celebrated her win in 2022, is what she calls her “lucky charm.”
Going into the evening, Sykes was feeling nervous but confident about the work she and her team put in.
“You’re either unopposed or you’re running scared,” Sykes said with a laugh at Buchtel CLC. “We’ve had a top-notch group of volunteers, a top-notch team of people who have just really been dedicated to the work because they know what’s at stake.”
District 13 has similar concerns across the board
For District 13 voters, the cost of living, reproductive health, policing and immigration are pressing issues.
Sykes has used her accomplishments in office to persuade voters to reelect her. In her two years, Sykes has introduced several bills, including the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, which would guarantee emergency room for treatment for people in labor, and the Lower Your Taxes Act, which she introduced to “put more money in people’s pockets.”
“Folks want to be able to live in safe communities, to afford the basic necessities, maybe have enough money to go on vacation or buy some conveniences, and they want to be able to get the healthcare they need and to be respected and heard as an individual,” Sykes said.
Coughlin said the No. 1 task for Congress is getting a handle on the economy — by halting deficits and the national debt.
“You got to get control of that and bring that to an end,” said Coughlin, who ran the marketing firm Lexington Cos. after his last term in the Ohio Statehouse ended in 2010. “That’s going to affect everybody in our district equally, as it does everybody else. You know, there’s not a District 13 magic wand that’s different from the rest of the country.”
