Democrat · Ohio's 11th District · 2026
Shontel Brown
Brown grew up in Cleveland and studied business at Cuyahoga Community College.
Biography
Shontel Brown grew up in Cleveland as the oldest of three children and graduated from John Adams High School.1 Before politics, she pictured herself leading a major corporation.1 She studied business at Cuyahoga Community College and founded Diversified Digital Solutions, a printing and promotions company serving smaller businesses.1
Brown has described her move into politics as beginning with the unmet needs she noticed among older neighbors in Warrensville Heights.1 Her community work has also included youth ministry at Mt. Olive Missionary Baptist Church.1 She continues to live in Warrensville Heights.2
She served on the city council and then represented Cleveland and surrounding communities on Cuyahoga County Council.2 She also led the county Democratic Party before entering Congress in 2021.12 In the current Congress, she is vice ranking member of the Agriculture Committee and the senior Democrat on an Oversight subcommittee covering cybersecurity and government technology.2
Her priorities include protecting federal benefits, reducing hunger, improving public education and expanding access to health care.2 She has introduced legislation addressing racial health disparities and discrimination, while emphasizing federal investment in Northeast Ohio.2 Brown faces Republican Mike Kirchner in the November election.3
Record and controversies
Contract question referral
In July 2021, Newsweek reported that Ohio's auditor had referred questions about Brown's county contract votes to the Ohio Ethics Commission.4 The report concerned Perk, whose owners had business links to her partner's family and had supported her campaigns.4 The commission would not confirm an investigation and reported no settlement at the time; Brown's campaign did not respond to that article.4
The referral was not a violation finding. A later public agency finding or settlement was not verified as of October 29, 2026.