Emilia Sykes has retained her seat as the representative for Ohio's 13th Congressional district, defeating Republican challenger Carey Coleman, according to unofficial results.
The Associated Press called the race for Sykes around 8 p.m. with about 30% of precincts reporting.
Much of the race focused on the effects of national issues on areas in the district, which includes Summit County, a portion of Stark County and a small segment of Portage County.
Sykes has criticized President Donald Trump's continued military efforts in Iran and said she voted five times to end the "reckless war of choice."
"The administration has refused to talk to Congress and explain why we are there and what his strategy is to get us out," she said.
At an Akron Press Club forum in October, Coleman implored voters to give him a chance following 50 years of Democratic control in the district.
At individual appearances at the Akron Press Club, each candidate focused on national issues that were causing rising prices across the country, including the war in Iran, ICE mobilization and the impacts of data centers and AI.
Sykes has held the seat since she was first elected in 2022. Before that, she represented Ohio House District 34, where she also served as minority leader.
In 2025, the district was redrawn as part of a mid-cycle redistricting effort in Ohio. The map that the Republican-dominated Ohio Redistricting Commission adopted ended up making the 13th District slightly more favorable toward Democrats.
At her appearance at the Akron Press Club, Sykes commended Coleman for running to represent the district and helping ensure that voters hear from all sides of the political spectrum.
"Our democracy works best when we have people fully engaged and participating," she said.
