Voters in Northeast Ohio have sent U.S. Rep. Emilia Sykes, a Kent State University graduate, back to Washington. Sykes won reelection on Nov. 3 for Ohio’s 13th Congressional District seat.
After redistricting in 2025, the 13th District now covers all of Summit County and parts of Portage and Stark counties. That’s the heart of Kent State’s home region.
Born and raised in Akron, Sykes earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Kent State in 2007. She won her first election to the Ohio House in 2014. She served eight years there, including three as minority leader, and was elected to Congress in 2022. She is vice ranking member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and serves on the House Science, Space and Technology Committee.
Sykes often returns to her alma mater. Most recently, in July, she toured the Kent State University Airport with President Todd Diacon and leaders from the airport and the College of Aeronautics and Engineering. The airport handles more than 72,500 flight operations a year. On the tour, she visited the hangar, classrooms and flight simulators, and spoke with aeronautics students about workforce development and the future of aviation. Her Fiscal Year 2027 Community Project Funding request includes $6.1 million to expand the airport’s taxilanes and aircraft parking areas.
Sykes is one of two Kent State graduates who have served together in the U.S. House in recent years. Darrell Issa, also a Kent State alumnus, decided not to run for reelection this year. Issa represents California’s 48th Congressional District, and his current term ends in January 2027.
