Three Cleveland Council Challengers Win Seats Over Incumbents

CLEVELAND, OH -- Two challengers for city council seats beat incumbents in the Nov. 7 election. Jasmin Santana defeated Brian Cummins in Ward 14, which includes the Clark-Fulton and Brooklyn Centre neighborhoods. Basheer Jones beat T.J. Dow in Ward 7, which includes the St. Clair-Superior and Hough neighborhoods.

According to unofficial results from the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections, Santana received 999 votes (51 percent) to Cummins' 951 votes (48 percent). Jones received 1,533 votes (50.31 percent) to Dow's 1,514 (49.69 percent).

Santana, who ran against Cummins in the past, has worked at the Hispanic Alliance since 2016, focusing on lead abatement and public safety. Cummins was first elected to council in 2006.

Jones, a radio/TV host and activist, defeated Dow, who was first elected to council in 2007.

In the other hotly contested race, Terrell H. Pruitt, who was appointed in 2008 and was re-elected twice in Ward 1, was beaten by Joe Jones. According to the unofficial BOE results, Jones received 2,643 votes (50.09 percent) to Pruitt's 2,639 votes (49.91 percent). Ward 1 includes the Lee-Harvard, Lee-Seville, Mount Pleasant and Union-Miles neighborhoods.