When Rep. Emilia Sykes showed off her balance beam skills in a new campaign ad last week, it was a nod to both the opening of the Olympic Games in Paris and her childhood.
She grew up dancing and competing in gymnastics, landing a spot in the AAU Junior Olympics and excelling at vault. Now the Democrat represents Ohio’s 13th District — which, as she’s quick to point out, sent three athletes to Paris this summer, including LeBron James, “the greatest basketball player of all time.”
Instead of becoming a professional ballerina, Sykes followed in her parents’ footsteps and ran for the state legislature, winning a seat that both her father and mother once held. After a combined 39 years of a Sykes representing Akron in the Ohio House, she ran for Congress in 2022 and is currently seeking reelection in a closely watched race against former state legislator Kevin Coughlin.
