Davida Russell
Davida Russell | |
|---|---|
,_Gina_Knapp_(Pres.,_OAPSE_238),_and_Davida_Russell,_OAPSE_VP_and_Release_Staff_(cropped).jpg) Russell in 2008 | |
| Member-elect of the Ohio House of Representatives from the 18th district | |
| Assuming office January 1, 2027 | |
| Succeeding | Juanita Brent |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1958 or 1959 (age 66–67) |
| Party | Democratic |
| Education | National Labor College (BA) |
Davida Russell is an American politician and labor organizer who is a member-elect of the Ohio House of Representatives for the 18th district.[1] She previously served on the Cleveland Heights city council from 2019 until 2025.
Early life and career
[edit]Russell's family moved to Cleveland Heights after experiencing racism in Collinwood.[2] Her mother helped found the Ohio Association of Public School Employees Local 744. Russell earned a Bachelor of Arts from the National Labor College in 2007.[3]
She works as a substitute teacher and school bus driver at South Euclid-Lyndhurst City School District. She is also the state president of the Coalition of Labor Union Women and vice president of the Ohio AFL-CIO.[4] In January 2021, Russell served as a member of the Biden-Harris Transition committee.[5]
Political career
[edit]Cleveland Heights City Council
[edit]Russell and the rest of the council unanimously voted to designate Cleveland Heights "safe haven" for transgender people seeking gender-affirming care in November 2024.[6]
In 2025, Russell ran for mayor of the city following the recall of incumbent Kahlil Seren.[4] By late October, Russell had outraised fellow city councilmember Jim Petras by over $30,000, primarily from labor union donations.[2] She was defeated by Petras in the November 2025 election.[7]
Ohio House of Representatives
[edit]In December 2025, Russell announced her campaign for the 18th district of the Ohio House of Representatives in the 2026 election. Incumbent Democrat Juanita Brent was term-limited and unsuccessfully ran for the Cleveland City Council in 2025. Russell won the Democratic primary election with 72.8% of the vote.[8]
References
[edit]- ↑ "Davida Russell". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 8 November 2026.
- 1 2 Jewell, Thomas (October 27, 2025). "Cleveland Heights mayoral candidates head into home stretch with varying war chests". cleveland.com. Retrieved May 12, 2026.
- ↑ Cho, Hanna (June 27, 2007). "College puts focus on working adults". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved May 12, 2026.
- 1 2 "Cleveland Heights voters to choose new mayor". Spectrum News 1 . October 29, 2025. Retrieved May 12, 2026.
- ↑ Jewell, Thomas (January 19, 2021). "Cleveland Heights Councilwoman Davida Russell gets seat at Biden-Harris transition team table". cleveland.com. Retrieved May 12, 2026.
- ↑ "Cleveland Heights declared 'safe haven' for transgender Ohioans seeking gender-affirming health care". The Buckeye Flame. November 7, 2024. Retrieved May 12, 2026.
- ↑ "Jim Petras declares victory over Davida Russell in Cleveland Heights mayoral election". WKYC-TV. November 5, 2025. Retrieved May 12, 2026.
- ↑ Toke, Colin (May 5, 2026). "Ohio Primary Election results for May 5, 2026". cleveland.com. Retrieved May 12, 2026.