Nina Turner facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Nina Turner
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Turner in 2020
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| Member of the Ohio Senate from the 25th district |
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| In office September 15, 2008 – December 31, 2014 |
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| Preceded by | Lance Mason |
| Succeeded by | Kenny Yuko |
| Member of the Cleveland City Council from Ward 1 |
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| In office January 1, 2006 – September 16, 2008 |
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| Preceded by | Joe Jones |
| Succeeded by | Terrell Pruitt |
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Nina Hudson
December 7, 1967 Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Jeffery Turner |
| Children | 1 |
| Education | Cuyahoga Community College (AA) Cleveland State University (BA, MA) |
Nina Turner (born December 7, 1967) is an American politician and a television personality. A politician is someone who works in government, making decisions for the public. A television personality is someone who appears on TV shows.
Nina Turner is a member of the Democratic Party. She served on the Cleveland City Council from 2006 to 2008. She was also a member of the Ohio Senate from 2008 to 2014. In 2014, she ran for Ohio Secretary of State, but she did not win. Her political ideas are often called progressive or left-wing. She describes herself as a democratic socialist, which means she believes in a government that helps people with things like healthcare and education.
Turner supported Bernie Sanders in his campaigns to become president in 2016 and 2020. She was even a national co-chair for his 2020 campaign. She also led a group called Our Revolution, which works to support progressive ideas. In 2021 and 2022, Turner ran for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives for Ohio's 11th district, but she was not elected.
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Nina Turner's 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. Her mother worked as a preacher and a nurse's aide. She passed away when Nina was 24 years old.
Turner went to John F. Kennedy High School in Cleveland and graduated in 1986. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history and a Master of Arts degree from Cleveland State University. She also has an Associate in Arts degree from Cuyahoga Community College. Today, she teaches history at Cuyahoga Community College.
Nina Turner's Early Career in Politics
Nina Turner started her career in public service in 2001. She worked as an aide for Rhine McLin, who was a state Senator in Ohio. An aide helps a politician with their daily tasks and research. Turner also worked for Michael R. White, who was the Mayor of Cleveland. Later, she worked to influence laws for the Cleveland Metropolitan School District at the state and national levels. This is called lobbying.
Serving on the Cleveland City Council (2006–2008)
In 2001, Turner first tried to become a member of the Cleveland City Council. The City Council is a group of elected officials who make local laws for a city. She lost that election. However, in 2005, she ran again and won. She became the Council Member for Ward One. She was the first African American woman to hold that seat. Turner served on the Cleveland City Council from 2006 to 2008.
Serving in the Ohio State Senate (2008–2014)
In 2008, a state Senator named Lance Mason left his seat in the Ohio Senate. The Ohio Senate is part of the state's government that makes laws for the whole state. Nina Turner was chosen by other Democratic senators to take his place. She left her City Council job to become a state Senator on September 15, 2008.
While in the Senate, Turner worked on committees related to highways, transportation, and justice. She won a full term in 2010. She was also chosen to be the Minority Whip. This is a leader who helps make sure members of their party vote together. Her district included parts of Cuyahoga County and Lake County.
Nina Turner as a College Professor
Since 1998, Nina Turner has been a teacher at Cuyahoga Community College, where she herself studied. She is an assistant professor of history. She teaches classes on African-American history, American history, and women's studies.
Nina Turner's Work with Bernie Sanders
Supporting Bernie Sanders in 2016
During the 2016 United States presidential election, Nina Turner first supported Hillary Clinton. But then she decided to support Bernie Sanders for the Democratic nomination. After Clinton won the nomination, Turner was asked to run for Vice President with the Green Party. She said no, explaining that she believed the Democratic Party was worth fighting for.
Leading Our Revolution
In 2016, Nina Turner became the president of Our Revolution. This is a political group that grew from Bernie Sanders's 2016 presidential campaign. The group works to support progressive ideas and candidates. It aims to make changes in politics that help ordinary people.
Supporting Bernie Sanders in 2020
On February 21, 2019, Nina Turner became a national co-chair for Bernie Sanders's 2020 presidential campaign. This meant she was one of the main leaders helping his campaign. She appeared on many TV shows to talk about Sanders and his ideas.
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Nina Turner's Candidacy Runs
Running for Ohio Secretary of State in 2014
On July 1, 2013, Nina Turner announced she would run for Ohio Secretary of State. This job involves overseeing elections and keeping official records for the state. Former President Bill Clinton supported her campaign. However, Turner lost the election to Jon Husted.
Running for Congress in 2021 and 2022
In 2021, Turner ran for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives for Ohio's 11th congressional district. She lost this special election to Shontel Brown. In 2022, Turner ran against Brown for the same seat again. However, she was defeated once more in the Democratic primary election.
Nina Turner's Political Views
Nina Turner's political ideas are often called progressive or left-wing. She identifies as a democratic socialist. This means she believes in a government that plays a strong role in helping people.
During her campaigns for Congress, she supported several key ideas:
- Medicare for All: This idea suggests that everyone should have healthcare provided by the government.
- Green New Deal: This is a plan to fight climate change and create new jobs by investing in clean energy.
- $15 minimum wage: This means increasing the lowest amount of money employers must pay their workers to $15 per hour.
- Canceling student debt: This idea is about getting rid of the money students owe for college loans.
- Tuition-free college: This means that college education would be free for students.
Nina Turner's Television Appearances
Nina Turner has worked as a contributor for CNN, a major news channel. In 2017, she started her own segment on The Real News Network called The Nina Turner Show. In 2018, she even appeared in the pilot episode of a TV series called Black Lightning. In this show, she played a fictional version of herself. In 2021, Turner also became a contributor and co-anchor for The Young Turks, an online news program.
Personal Life
Nina Turner is married to Jeffery Turner Sr. They have a son who is a lieutenant in the Ohio National Guard. The family lives in Cleveland, Ohio, but Nina Turner often works in Washington, D.C.. Turner is a Christian and has said that her faith guides her political beliefs.
