CLEVELAND — Dennis Kucinich is making another run at elected office.
The 77-year-old former Cleveland mayor, congressman, and presidential candidate has filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission to run as an independent for the congressional seat held by Rep. Max Miller (R-OH-7).
Kucinich formally announced his candidacy to represent Ohio's 7th Congressional District at the Independence Civic Center on Wednesday, Jan. 24.
“I’m announcing my candidacy for the United States House of Representatives from Ohio’s 7th District as an independent because I’m uniquely able to reach in and to help heal the partisan divide, to bring people together and to help reestablish a sense of unity, which is the essence of who we are as the United States. The 7th District is familiar territory. I represented over 20 Cuyahoga County communities in that district for 16 years, constituting approximately 45 percent of the present district. Except this time, only my name will be on the ballot. No label. Just Dennis J. Kucinich,” said Kucinich.
The full announcement can be watched below:
Elected mayor of Cleveland in 1977 at age 31, Dennis Kucinich became the youngest person to lead a major American city, earning him the nickname “Boy Mayor.” He lost his bid for re-election after the city went into default in December of 1978.
“In a closely divided Congress, as an independent, my voice and vote will become pivotal. The 7th District of Ohio will become one of the most important districts. Members of both parties will be well aware of the needs and priorities of my constituents and the people of Northeast Ohio," said Kucinich.
Kucinich made a remarkable comeback into politics in the 1990s. He was elected to the Ohio Senate in 1994, then he won a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives two years later. Kucinich served in Congress for 16 years, twice campaigning for president. In 2012, he lost the Democratic primary against longtime Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur, a faceoff forced by redistricting.
After his congressional defeat, Kucinich ran for Ohio governor in 2018, but Richard Cordray handily beat him in the Democratic primary. Three years later, Kucinich was part of a crowded field seeking to replace Frank Jackson as mayor of Cleveland. He finished third in the mayoral primary behind Kevin Kelley and eventual winner Justin Bibb. More recently, Kucinich had served as campaign manager for Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s presidential bid before leaving in October.