Dennis Kucinich

Dennis Kucinich: Representative of the 10th Congressional District of Ohio

Dennis Kucinich is most well known for being the Democratic Representative for the 10th Congressional District of Ohio in the United States House of Representatives. He was also a candidate for the Democratic nomination for both the office of President of the United States in 2004 and 2008.

Dennis Kucinich was born on October 8, 1946 in Cleveland, Ohio as the eldest of seven children. He moved 21 times while growing up and finally wound up at Cleveland State University where he graduated in 1970. Dennis Kucinich then attended Case Western Reserve University, where he graduated in 1973 with both an undergraduate and a Master of Arts degree in communication and speech.

Dennis Kucinich began his political career where he ran but lost for a seat in the Cleveland City council in 1967. He ran once more in 1969 and was elected to a seat. Three years he ran for a Congressional seat in the United States House of Representatives as a representative for Ohio, but lost to the incumbent.

Dennis Kucinich ran again in two years but did not manage to get the Democratic nomination. He then ran again as an independent candidate but still did not get the seat. Instead, he became a clerk in a Cleveland municipal court the year later, where he served for two years.

After his clerkship, Dennis Kucinich took on the role of Mayor for Cleveland, which he served from 1977 to 1979. He lost his re-election bid in 1970 and then worked to keep a low profile for a while. He struggled to find employment and then moved to California, where he worked as a radio talk-show host followed by a lecturer and a consultant.Upon returning to Cleveland, Dennis Kucinich ran to Secretary of State but lost to Sherrod brown in 1982. The next year, he managed to win a special election of a seat as a city councilman. He gave up this seat to run for Governor of Ohio, but wound up withdrawing from the race.

In 1996, Dennis Kucinich was elected as the representative for the 10th Congressional District of Ohio and since then was reelected six more times.

In the House of Representatives, Dennis Kucinich is currently on the Committee on Education and Workforce where he sits on the Subcommittee for Workforce protection and the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor & Pensions. He is also on the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform where he is the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Regulatory Affairs, Stimulus Oversight & Government Spending.

Some of his more influential votes include:

• Voting for President Barack Obama’s health care bill without the component of a public option

• Voting against the Military Commissions Act of 2006 as well as against the USA Patriot Act

• Voting against the Violent Radicalization & Homegrown Terrorism Act

• Voting against the Iran Freedom and Support Act

• Voting against President Bill Clinton’s impeachment

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