Black Caucus PAC endorses Nina Turner’s opponent in Ohio special election

The fundraising arm of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) has endorsed Cuyahoga County Council Representative Shontel Brown as she prepares to face Nina Turner in a special Democratic primary for Ohio’s 11th Congressional District next month. 

In a statement announcing the group’s endorsement on Wednesday, Yolanda Addison, executive director of the CBC Political Action Committee, said the body is “proud” to back Brown and touted the Ohio Democrat’s track record “fighting for Ohioans.”

“Shontel Brown worked alongside community leaders to install public wifi hotspots in the Greater Cleveland area in order to improve access to broadband, helping to close the digital divide,” Addison said.

“We know that she will work tirelessly to also ensure that all Americans have equality affordable health care, living wage jobs and a justice system that works for everyone,” she added.

The group also branded Brown as a “progressive champion” in the endorsement who “is no stranger to adversity” and would “head to DC to bring back results, not just sound bites, for Ohio’s 11th.”

The announcement adds to a growing list of endorsements Brown has notched from more established Democrats and organizations in recent months as she works to compete against Turner, a progressive firebrand seen as a front-runner in the race to fill the vacancy left by former Rep. Marcia Fudge (D).

So far, Brown has received backing from Democratic heavyweights like former secretary of State and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hilary Clinton and House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.).

By contrast, Turner, a former Ohio state senator who previously served as a national co-chair of Sen. Bernie Sanders’s (I-Vt.) 2020 presidential campaign, has attracted a number of endorsements from more progressive lawmakers, including Reps. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.).

The Cleveland Plain Dealer, Ohio’s largest newspaper, also announced its support of Turner in a recent editorial ahead the coming primary, which takes place in early August. The special election for the seat has been set for November.

According to local media, more than a dozen Democrats are expected to be on the ballot during for the primary.

However, a recent poll released by Tulchin Research shows Turner with a sizable lead in the race.