Democratic Rep. Shontel Brown won reelection to a U.S. House seat representing Ohio on Tuesday.

Brown was first elected to the heavily Democratic-leaning 11th Congressional District during a special election against progressive Nina Turner in 2021. The district includes Akron, Cleveland and the city's eastern suburbs.

Brown defeated Republican Alan Rapoport, an attorney and former mayor of Cleveland Heights who challenged Brown as too progressive. Rapoport previously ran for county council as a Democrat and for state Legislature as an independent.

The Associated Press declared Brown the winner at 8:04 p.m. EST.

Brown issued the following statement on her victory:

“Thank you to the people of the 11th Congressional District for again putting your trust in me. I am honored to have your support and incredibly proud to represent Northeast Ohio in Congress. From day one my focus has been delivering results that matter and carrying on the legacy of Louis Stokes, Stephanie Tubbs Jones, and Marcia Fudge, from legislative work to casework. I will continue to stand up for our rights, defend the benefits my constituents need, and work to bring more federal investments home. Every family I represent deserves an opportunity to get ahead and this is a 365-day-a-year job to work for them. 

“Across the country there are still millions of votes to be counted. Every vote matters and the rights of every voter should be upheld. We need to be patient, let every eligible vote be counted, and respect the will of the people.”