Congratulations Sister Davida Russell and Brother Danny Kelly
Tuesday night was a good night for union members running for elected office in Cuyahoga County. While most of Ohio conducted their Primary Election in May, Cuyahoga County runs their Primary Election in September, and two Path to Power union members won their Primary Election decisively.
Current Cleveland Heights City Councilwoman and OAPSE/AFSCME member Davida Russell secured one of the top-two spots in the election for Cleveland Heights mayor and will face off against Jim Petras in the November General Election. Davida served as president of her union, OAPSE/AFSCME Local 744 and became the first African American woman in her union to be elected State Vice President. As President of the Ohio chapter of the Coalition of Union Women, Davida also serves on the Ohio AFL-CIO Executive Board representing that constituency group.
In the newly drawn Cleveland Ward 12, LIUNA retiree Danny Kelly handily won his Primary in a three-way race with an 18-point margin of victory. As a proud 45-year member of Laborers' Local 310 and single father who raised four kids, Danny ran his campaign knowing first-hand how a union can lift families and promote unity.
“For over a decade, the Ohio AFL-CIO has focused on electing union members at every level of government through our Path to Power program. We have helped over 100 union members, retirees and spouses get elected across Ohio and we are proud of the successful pro-worker campaigns that Danny Kelly and Davida Russell ran,” said Ohio AFL-CIO President Tim Burga.