Editor’s note: Emilia Sykes won her race by a margin of 5.2%; through our readers, Blue Tent raised $4,375 for Sykes. To see how other Blue Tent recommended candidates performed this cycle, read our full 2022 midterms rundown.
Emilia Sykes comes from a very local sort of political dynasty, the daughter of a pair of Ohio state legislators who represented Akron-area districts in the state senate and house (her father Vernon Sykes currently serves in the state senate). She first won her seat in the state house in 2014, when she was just 28 years old, and since then has risen to become the minority leader. Now running for Congress in Ohio’s 13th District—a seat Tim Ryan is leaving to run for the U.S. Senate—Sykes is emphasizing her record of bipartisanship and working on economic issues. Her opponent, a Donald Trump–endorsed former beauty pageant winner and conservative columnist, bought three homes while she dithered about which congressional seat to run for.
Blue Tent views giving to Sykes’s campaign as a priority. Below, we explore three key questions that small and medium donors should answer before supporting candidates. (See how we evaluate candidates.)
Is this race important?
Democrats have been losing power in Ohio for many years, and winning either of the competitive House races in this state will be an uphill battle. But it’s vital for Democrats to continue the fight over this large and important state, and Sykes’ roots in the district make her a strong candidate. She could be a rising star in Ohio’s Democratic Party, and a win here would cement that reputation. Even if Democrats don’t have control of the House after 2022, getting her in office seems like a worthy goal.
Can Sykes win?
This race is rated as a toss-up by the Cook Political Report and Sabato’s Crystal Ball, one of only two competitive House contests in Ohio. Given the national mood, it’s not going to be easy for a Democrat to win here, but it’s certainly winnable.
Does she need money?
Though this is a competitive House race, a relatively rare thing, it has not attracted huge sums of money, possibly because neither candidate is an incumbent. Sykes and her Republican opponent, Madison Gesiotto Gilbert, have each brought in just under $2 million. Relative to other close elections, this is not a lot of money, and Sykes needs support. We rate her a priority for donors.