Tracy Maxwell Heard facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tracy Heard
Member of the Ohio House of Representatives from the 26th district
In office January 2, 2007 – December 31, 2014
Preceded by	Mike Mitchell
Succeeded by	Hearcel Craig
House Minority Leader
In office June 1, 2013 – December 31, 2014
Preceded by	Armond Budish
Succeeded by	Fred Strahorn
House Minority Whip
In office January 3, 2011 – June 1, 2013
Leader	Armond Budish
Preceded by	John Adams
Succeeded by	Michael Ashford
House Majority Leader
In office October 21, 2009 – January 3, 2011
Preceded by	Jennifer Garrison
Succeeded by	Matt Huffman
House Assistant Majority Leader
In office January 5, 2009 – October 21, 2009
Preceded by	Jim Carmichael
Succeeded by	Allan Sayre
Personal details
Born	(1963-02-03) February 3, 1963 (age 62) Columbus, Ohio
Political party	Democratic
Alma mater	University of Akron (B.A.)
Profession	Auditor, News Anchor, Community Developer

Tracy Maxwell Heard (born February 3, 1963) is an American politician. She used to be a leader in the Ohio House of Representatives. She held important roles like Minority Leader, Minority Whip, and Majority Leader.

Tracy Heard made history as the first African-American woman to be a majority leader. She was one of only two African-Americans to hold that position.

As a member of the Democratic Party, Heard represented Ohio's 26th House district. This district covers parts of Franklin County. She served from 2006 until 2014. She is a graduate of the University of Akron.

Life and Early Career

After finishing college at the University of Akron, Tracy Heard worked as an auditor. She also worked for a group focused on community development. Her mother-in-law was once a member of the Columbus School Board.

Heard became interested in politics after helping with President Bill Clinton's 1996 presidential campaign. She then worked as an aide in the Ohio Senate. Before her political career, Tracy Heard was also known for her work as a news anchor.

Serving in the Ohio House of Representatives

Tracy Heard first ran for the Ohio House of Representatives in 2006. She challenged the person already holding the seat, Mike Mitchell. Heard won the election and became the representative for the 26th District.

In her first term, she was chosen as secretary for the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus. This group works on issues important to African-American communities. Her colleagues quickly saw her potential for leadership.

Rising to Leadership Roles

In 2008, Tracy Heard was re-elected by a large number of votes. After this, her fellow lawmakers chose her to be the assistant majority leader. She was the first Democratic assistant majority leader in many years. She also became the President of the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus Foundation.

In 2009, the Majority Leader, Jennifer Garrison, stepped down. Tracy Heard was then chosen to take her place as the Majority Leader. This was a very important leadership role. She was also appointed to lead the House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee.

Later Terms and Roles

Heard was re-elected again in 2010. However, the Democratic Party lost control of the Ohio House in that election. Because of this, Tracy Heard moved from being the majority leader to the minority whip. The minority whip helps organize votes and keep party members together.

She won her final term in the Ohio House in 2012. She served until 2014, when she could no longer run due to term limits.

Key Ideas and Stances

Tracy Heard worked on several important issues during her time in the House.

Election Process Improvements

She introduced a plan to make elections fairer. Her idea was to create a clear process for counting "provisional ballots." These are ballots cast when a voter's eligibility is questioned. Heard wanted to make sure every valid vote counted, even if there was a small mistake by a poll worker.

Views on Education

Heard was against a plan to greatly increase funding for charter schools through vouchers. She believed that these schools might not be ready for the challenges they could face.

Political Discussions

She also spoke out about important political debates. For example, she criticized Ohio Governor John Kasich during discussions about a bill known as Senate Bill 5. She felt that some actions were more about politics than finding a real solution.

Election Results