Stephanie Tubbs Jones

About Stephanie Tubbs Jones

Stephanie Tubbs Jones (September 10, 1949 – August 20, 2008) was a Democratic politician and member of the United States House of Representatives. She represented the 11th District of Ohio, which encompasses most of downtown and eastern Cleveland and many of the eastern suburbs in Cuyahoga County, including Euclid, Cleveland Heights, and Shaker Heights. She was the first African American woman to be elected to Congress from Ohio.

On December 19, 2006, Tubbs Jones was named Chairwoman of the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct for the 110th Congress. She was also a member of the House Ways and Means Committee.

On August 19, 2008, Tubbs Jones was found unconscious in her car, having suffered a cerebral aneurysm. She was taken to an East Cleveland hospital, where she died the next day. As of August 21, 2008, the Ohio Secretary of State had not yet determined whether a special election would be held, prior to the November 2008 general election, to fill the vacancy left by Tubbs Jones's death. Ohio election law ordinarily calls for such vacancies to be filled by special election.