Seasoned Councilwoman Shontel Brown won the Democratic primary in Ohio’s 11th congressional district on Tuesday, NBC News reported. 

Brown’s campaign drew national attention as she and former 2020 Bernie Sanders campaign co-chair Nina Turner vied to become the state’s next representative. According to the New York Post, Brown led Turner by 4,380 votes out of more than 71,000 votes cast. 

“You can’t buy confidence, you can’t buy trust, you can’t buy integrity, and you can’t buy a grind,” Brown told WKYC. “It’s been nine years in the making for me so this is all of the hard work coming to fruition.” 

"I've been nine years a legislator, not seeking headlines or attention, but seeking to make headway and being effective," Brown added. "I'm not about lip service; I've been about public service."

Brown has been involved in the Ohio community since 2012 when she began her service as a Warrensville Heights city council member. In 2017, the Cleveland native was elected chairwoman of the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party, becoming the leader of the largest Democratic county in the state.

Throughout her time as an Ohio council member, Brown has also forged meaningful relationships with community leaders, including former Ohio Congresswoman Marcia Fudge who now serves as the secretary of HUD.

The 46-year-old’s congressional campaign was endorsed by a coalition of more than 15 unions and 100 elected officials from Ohio and was also backed by a number of top political pundits including President Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton. She also received support from the Pro-Israel America Political Action Committee (PAC) and the Democratic Majority for Israel PAC, who donated nearly $2 million to her campaign.

“As essentially the next member of the 11th Congressional District, the next member of Congress, I can walk in the door with good relationships,” Brown said at her watch party. “I get the recognition, but this was a collaborative partnership of the community.”

Brown is slated to face Republican Laverne Gore in November in a district that President Biden won over after collecting 80% of the vote. 

The newly-elected congresswoman is determined to tackle issues like gun violence and reach viable solutions to reduce disparities in affordable health care.

“I want to roll up my sleeves and get to work to make sure we are delivering results for the people, relief for the people who need it the most,” Brown said. “We are celebrating today. I’m grateful for all the love and support, but I want to get up and do what I’ve always done and that’s work, work, work.” 

She also acknowledged that her win comes as no surprise since she has been a staunch advocate for the public, voting on initiatives that listed racism as a public health crisis in Cuyahoga County and funding the redevelopment of Cleveland's Van Aken District. 

"All this did not come overnight," Brown said. "This wasn't a surprise surge for Shontel; Shontel has been doing the work."

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