Nina Turner facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Nina Turner
Turner in 2020
Member of the Ohio Senate from the 25th district
In office September 15, 2008 – December 31, 2014
Preceded by	Lance Mason
Succeeded by	Kenny Yuko
Member of the Cleveland City Council from Ward 1
In office January 1, 2006 – September 16, 2008
Preceded by	Joe Jones
Succeeded by	Terrell Pruitt
Personal details
Born	Nina Hudson (1967-12-07) December 7, 1967 (age 57) Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Jeffery Turner
Children	1
Education	Cuyahoga Community College (AA) Cleveland State University (BA, MA)

Nina Hudson Turner (born December 7, 1967) is an American politician, professor, and television personality. As a member of the Democratic Party, she has served on the Cleveland City Council and in the Ohio Senate.

Turner is known for her progressive political views and calls herself a democratic socialist. She ran for Ohio Secretary of State in 2014 but was not elected.

She was a strong supporter of Bernie Sanders during his presidential campaigns in 2016 and 2020. She later ran for a seat in the U.S. Congress for Ohio's 11th district in 2021 and 2022 but lost in the Democratic primary elections to Shontel Brown.

Early Life and Education

Nina Turner was born Nina Hudson in Cleveland, Ohio. She was the oldest of seven children. Her parents, Faye and Taalib, separated when she was five years old. Her mother, who worked as a nurse's aide, passed away in 1992.

Turner attended John F. Kennedy High School in Cleveland, graduating in 1986. She later earned an associate's degree from Cuyahoga Community College. She also received a bachelor's and a master's degree in history from Cleveland State University.

Political Career

Turner began her career in politics as an aide to Ohio State Senator Rhine McLin in 2001. She also worked for Cleveland Mayor Michael R. White and represented the Cleveland Metropolitan School District on state and federal issues.

Cleveland City Council (2006–2008)

In 2005, Turner won an election for a seat on the Cleveland City Council, representing Ward One. She was the first African American woman to hold this position. She served on the council from 2006 until 2008.

Ohio State Senate (2008–2014)

Turner speaking at a rally in 2016.

In 2008, Turner was chosen to fill a vacant seat in the Ohio Senate for the 25th district. She was re-elected to a full four-year term in 2010. During her time in the Senate, she served as the Minority Whip, an important leadership role for the Democratic party members.

In 2012, Turner introduced a bill to regulate men's health. This was a political statement to draw attention to new laws that were being proposed to restrict women's healthcare choices. Her bill was not meant to pass but to start a conversation.

In 2014, she worked on a bill to change Ohio's custody laws. She wanted to protect mothers and children by preventing men who had committed serious crimes from getting parental rights. The bill did not pass at the time.

Work with Bernie Sanders

Turner became a well-known supporter of Senator Bernie Sanders and his political ideas.

2016 Presidential Campaign

During the 2016 presidential election, Turner first supported Hillary Clinton but later switched her support to Bernie Sanders. After Sanders did not win the Democratic nomination, Turner was invited to run for Vice President with the Green Party, but she declined.

Our Revolution

In 2016, Turner became the president of Our Revolution, a political organization that started from Bernie Sanders's presidential campaign. The group works to support progressive candidates and ideas across the country.

A 2018 article in Politico reported that the organization was facing some challenges. It said that fundraising had decreased and that there was some disagreement within the group about its direction.

Turner campaigning for Sanders in March 2019.

2020 Presidential Campaign

In 2019, Turner was named a national co-chair for the Bernie Sanders 2020 presidential campaign. She often appeared on news programs to speak in support of Sanders.

After Joe Biden became the Democratic nominee, Turner expressed her disappointment with the choice between Biden and the incumbent, Donald Trump. She chose not to endorse a candidate in the 2020 presidential election.

Runs for Office

Turner has run for statewide and national office several times.

2014 Secretary of State Election

In 2013, Turner announced she would run for Ohio Secretary of State. She was supported by former President Bill Clinton. However, she lost the election to the Republican incumbent, Jon Husted.

2021 and 2022 Congressional Elections

Turner ran for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives for Ohio's 11th district. The seat became open when Marcia Fudge resigned.

In the 2021 special election, she lost the Democratic primary to Shontel Brown. She ran against Brown again in the 2022 primary election but was defeated a second time.

Political Views

Turner is known for her progressive political beliefs and identifies as a democratic socialist. Some of her key positions include:

• Medicare for All: A single-payer healthcare system where the government provides health insurance for everyone.
• Green New Deal: A plan to address climate change and create jobs in clean energy.
• $15 Minimum Wage: Raising the national minimum wage to $15 per hour.
• Canceling Student Debt: Forgiving student loan debt for millions of Americans.
• Tuition-Free College: Making public colleges and universities free to attend.

In 2023, she started an organization called We Are Somebody to support striking workers. She has also been a strong critic of Israel's actions in the Gaza war, calling it a "genocide and ethnic cleansing campaign."

Television and Teaching

Besides politics, Turner has worked as a professor and a television personality. She has been a tenured assistant professor of history at Cuyahoga Community College since 1998.

She has appeared as a political commentator on CNN. In 2021, she was hired as a contributor and co-anchor for the online news show The Young Turks. In 2025, she became a co-host on a weekly news program called The Group Chat.

Personal Life

Turner is married to Jeffery Turner Sr. They have one son, who is a lieutenant in the Ohio National Guard. Turner is a Christian and has said that her faith is an important part of her political beliefs.

Electoral History