House Incumbent Tops Progressive as Democrats Wrestle Over Focus

(Bloomberg) -- Representative Shontel Brown easily turned back a challenge from progressive activist Nina Turner in Tuesday's Democratic primary for a U.S. House seat in Ohio that was seen as part of the struggle for influence between the party's two wings.

With most of the ballots counted in the Cleveland-based district, Brown had 66% of the vote to Turner's 33%, according to a tally compiled by the Associated Press.

It was the second face-off in less than a year between Brown and Turner to represent Ohio's 11th District and the second time Brown prevailed. The district is solidly Democratic and Brown, who was first elected with 79% of the vote, will be heavily favored to win the November general election.

Brown was endorsed by establishment Democrats, including President Joe Biden, who called her with congratulations Tuesday night, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. South Carolina Representative Jim Clyburn, the third-ranking House Democrat, campaigned for Brown over the weekend.

“I was proud to endorse Shontel in her primary bid for re-election because she has been a strong leader in Congress and a partner in the work to cut costs and create jobs,” Biden said in a statement Wednesday.

Turner served as co-chair on Senator Bernie Sanders' 2020 presidential campaign and received his endorsement in the rematch.

“Nina knows the job is more than just voting the right way,” Sanders said in an April 12 tweet. “It's about leadership. With Nina, we know that she won't be afraid to take on the corporate interests that are driving up the price of gas, food and just about everything else.”

A day before the primary, New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez also backed Tuner. Still, Turner lacked other progressive endorsements that she received during her last run for the seat.

Turner was backed by the Congressional Progressive Caucus political action committee in last year's special election, but this time it endorsed Brown, who joined the group since taking office.

Justice Democrats, a group that backed the candidacies of Ocasio-Cortez and other progressive members of Congress, also did not endorse Turner this year as they had before.

The Democratic Party's progressive wing also suffered a loss in the primary for the Senate contest. Representative Tim Ryan handily defeated activist Morgan Harper, who ran on a platform championing progressive causes, such as the Green New Deal plan.

Brown and Turner, a former Ohio State senator, faced off last August in a special election for the seat after it was vacated by Marcia Fudge when she became U.S. secretary for Housing and Urban Development.

In that election, Brown won 50% of the vote while Turner had 44%.