By Pamela Gentry, Senior Political Producer 

Nov. 19, 2008 – With no opposition on the ballot during the special election, Democrat Marcia L. Fudge was a shoe-in Nov. 4 to fill Ohio’s vacant 11th District seat.  Fudge will enter the 110th Congress to fill the seat left empty by the sudden death of  Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones.

With the win in the special election, Fudge will now have a seniority jump on her colleagues elected Nov. 4 during the general election.  After winning the special election Oct. 14, unopposed by any other Democrat, she beat her Republican opponent, Thomas Pekarek, winning 85 percent of the vote.

On Wednesday, following the swearing in of the new officers of the Congressional Black Caucus, Fudge said she’s ready for the challenges ahead and looks forward to continuing the work of her predecessor.  “I think her legacy more than any particular issue or piece of legislation was her desire to make the 11th District a better place.  I think she had such a passion about people, and I think that will be easy for me to carry on.”

 Fudge will enter the 111th Congress leaving behind her job as mayor of Warrensville Heights, a suburb of Cleveland. The former National President of Delta Sigma Theta had also worked as an aid for Tubbs Jones earlier in her career.

Tubbs Jones died in August after suffering an aneurysm while driving her car in Cleveland.   

The 11th District is predominantly African American and the only district in Ohio with a Black representative in Congress.  Fudge was sworn in following her Oct. election, so she’ll have three months seniority on her colleagues elected on Nov. 4, who won’t be sworn in until the full convenes in January.

“My top priority is finding my way around this building and after that figuring out how I can be most effective for the people in my district,” she said.

Fudge was on hand Wednesday for the swearing in of the new offices of the Congressional Black Caucus.  Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) was unanimously elected to serve as the 21st chairwoman of the Black lawmaker’s caucus along with:

• Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (Mo.) – First Vice Chair

• Del. Donna Christensen (Virgin Island) – Second Vice Chair

• Rep. G. K. Butterfield (N.C.) – Secretary

• Rep.Yvette Clarke (N.Y.) – Whip
Outgoing chairwoman, Rep. Carolyn Kilpatrick, said, “I am honored to hand the mantle of CBC leadership to Chairwoman-elect Barbara Lee. I am confident she will lead the CBC in the 111th Congress.”