A Conversation with Dennis Kucinich

In 2021, Cleveland faces a mayoral election. Leading up to the primary, the City Club will be speaking with candidates seeking the city's highest office.

Dennis Kucinich was elected to Cleveland City Council in 1969 and served as the 53rd mayor of Cleveland from 1977 to 1979. As mayor, Kucinich is well known for his battle against selling Municipal Light to the privately owned competitor, Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company. Kucinich also served the 23rd district in the Ohio State Senate from 1995-96.

In 1996, Kucinich was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives for Ohio’s 10th Congressional District, where he served for 16 years. Kucinich served on the Committee on Education and the Workforce and the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. Kucinich ran for President of the United States in 2004 and 2008.

Due to redistricting after the 2010 census, the new map put Kucinich's home into the controversial “Snake on the Lake” – forcing a run for the 9th district, which he lost to incumbent Rep. Marcy Kaptur. After his time in Congress, Kucinich served as a regular contributor to Fox News Channel. He left in 2018 to run for Ohio governor.

Kucinich formally announced his candidacy for Mayor of Cleveland on June 14. As mayor, he plans to push public safety and criminal justice reform by instituting reforms and additives to the Cleveland Division of Police, creating a cabinet-level Civic Peace Department, and decriminalizing non-violet drug offenses.

The livestream will be available beginning at 12:00 p.m. Have questions? Tweet them at @TheCityClub or send a text to 330.541.5794.