Four-term Democratic state legislator Emilia Sykes has defeated Donald Trump-endorsed Republican Madison Gesiotto Gilbert to capture Ohio’s 13th Congressional District seat, which opened when Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan entered the Ohio U.S. Senate race.
Sykes compiled 146,621 votes (52.6 percent) while Gesiotto Gilbert received 132,181 votes (47.4 percent), according to The Associated Press.
Leading to Election Day, Gesiotto Gilbert was forecast to win the race, according to FiveThirtyEight, which reported that she had won 82 out of 100 simulated races against Sykes as of Oct. 26.
“Guess what, they messed with a kid from Akron. And I bet they won’t do it again,” Sykes said in her victory speech. “I am so excited to be a representative of this community that raised me ... the least I can do is serve you and continue to serve you.”
Gesiotto Gilbert, who is married to former NFL offensive lineman Marcus Gilbert, is a conservative commentator who worked on Trump’s 2016 inauguration committee and helped spearhead Women for Trump during his reelection bid.
The 30-year-old attorney met Trump when she was crowned Miss Ohio USA in 2014.
She was also backed by House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
“This is obviously not the result we were hoping for or expecting tonight, but the fight goes on,” Gesiotto Gilbert said in her concession speech.
Sykes, who is 36, is a former Ohio House Democratic leader and the daughter of a powerful political family in northeast Ohio.
Sykes has represented the state’s 34th District in the House since 2015. The seat has been occupied by her or by one of her parents, Vernon and Barbara, for nearly 40 years.
Vernon Sykes is still a state senator and is part of the committee that drafted the new congressional districts.
Sykes and Gesiotto Gilbert represent a stark difference to the average representative, which is a 54-year-old man, according to the Congressional Research Service.
“The Republican Party is starting to look and feel like America. More younger candidates are running for office; more women are running for office,” Gesiotto Gilbert recently told the “Fox Across America” podcast. “People are excited about that.”
In a statement during Election Day afternoon, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chairman Sean Patrick Maloney said, “Emilia already knows what it will take to deliver for Ohioans in Congress on day one. Emilia’s know-how and experience will be critical to Congress’ work to lower costs, protect women’s freedoms, make health care more affordable, and fight for safer communities.”
