Dennis Kucinich | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2010 | |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Ohio's 10th district | |
| In office January 3, 1997 – January 3, 2013 | |
| Preceded by | Martin Hoke |
| Succeeded by | Mike Turner |
| Member of the Ohio Senate from the 23rd district | |
| In office January 3, 1995 – January 2, 1997 | |
| Preceded by | Anthony Sinagra |
| Succeeded by | Patrick Sweeney |
| 53rd Mayor of Cleveland | |
| In office November 14, 1977 – November 6, 1979 | |
| Preceded by | Ralph Perk |
| Succeeded by | George Voinovich |
| Member of the Cleveland City Council from Ward 12[2] | |
| In office August 9, 1983[1] – December 31, 1985 | |
| In office January 1, 1970 – December 31, 1973 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Dennis John Kucinich October 8, 1946 Cleveland, Ohio, US |
| Political party | Independent (since 2024) |
| Other political affiliations | Democratic (until 2024) |
| Spouse(s) |
Helen Kucinich (divorced)Sandra Lee McCarthy
(m. 1977; div. 1986) |
| Children | Jackie Kucinich |
| Education | Case Western Reserve University (BA, MA) |
| Website | Kucinich.com |
Dennis John Kucinich (/kuːˈsɪnɪtʃ/ koo-SIN-itch; October 8, 1946) is an American politician. Originally a Democrat, Kucinich served as U.S. Representative from Ohio's 10th congressional district from 1997 to 2013. From 1977 to 1979, he served a term as mayor of Cleveland, where he narrowly survived a recall election and successfully fought an effort to sell the municipal electric utility before losing his reelection contest to George Voinovich.
Considered one of the most politically liberal members of Congress during his tenure, Kucinich unsuccessfully ran for president in the 2004 and 2008 Democratic primaries. During his 2004 presidential campaign, he ran as a staunch opponent of the Iraq War, garnering him support among some anti-war activists.[4] Despite not winning a single primary contest, Kucinich was the last opponent of eventual nominee John Kerry to drop out.[5]
As a 2008 presidential candidate, Kucinich ran in support of single-payer health care, the impeachment of then-Vice President Dick Cheney, and the establishment of a "Department of Peace".[6] He dropped out early during the 2008 primary contest after faring poorly in early states.[7] During his final two terms in Congress, Kucinich at times criticized then-President Barack Obama, and argued in favor of Obama's impeachment following the 2011 military intervention in Libya.[8]
As a result of redistricting following the 2010 census, redrawn congressional boundaries forced Kucinich to face Representative Marcy Kaptur in the newly-drawn 9th district. Kaptur defeated Kucinich in the Democratic primary, and Kucinich left office in 2013.[9] In January 2013, he became a contributor on the Fox News Channel appearing on programs such as The O'Reilly Factor. He ran for governor of Ohio in the 2018 election, losing in the primary to Richard Cordray. Kucinich was also an unsuccessful primary candidate in the 2021 Cleveland mayoral election.[10] He ran for Ohio's 7th congressional district as an independent in 2024 and finished third, garnering 12% of the vote.[11]
- ^ Chung, Connie (August 10, 1983). "Dennis Kucinich wins election to Cleveland City Council". NBC Learn. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 11, 2020. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
- ^ "Mayoral administration of Dennis J. Kucinich | Encyclopedia of Cleveland History". Case Western Reserve University. May 11, 2018. Archived from the original on September 28, 2019. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
- ^ "Dennis Kucinich Fast Facts". KDRV News. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved February 16, 2021.
- ^ Curry, Tom (October 23, 2003). "Dean places first in online 'primary'". NBC News. Archived from the original on March 30, 2023. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
- ^ Lyman, Rick (May 17, 2004). "Down but Not Out, Kucinich Keeps On Fighting". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
- ^ "Democrat Kucinich: long shot who keeps on running". Reuters. July 24, 2007. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
- ^ "Kucinich drops out of U.S. presidential race". Reuters. January 24, 2008. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
- ^ Epstein, Jennifer (March 21, 2011). "Kucinich: Libya action 'impeachable'". Politico. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
- ^ Center, Shira T. (March 7, 2012). "Marcy Kaptur Defeats Dennis Kucinich in Ohio". Roll Call. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
- ^ "Precinct-level data reveals trends about Tuesday's Cleveland mayoral primary". September 15, 2021.
- ^ Eaton, Sabrina (January 17, 2024). "Dennis Kucinich files FEC paperwork to run for Congress against Republican Max Miller". cleveland.com. Retrieved January 18, 2024.