Brenda Jones (politician)

Brenda B. Jones (born October 24, 1959) is an American politician who served as a member of the Detroit City Council from 2006 to 2022, and as the president of the City Council from 2014 to 2022. A member of the Democratic Party, Jones also briefly served as the U.S. representative for Michigan's 13th congressional district from November 29, 2018, to January 3, 2019. She won the 2018 special election to succeed John Conyers following his resignation in December 2017, and was succeeded by Rashida Tlaib. She ran for the seat again in 2020, losing the Democratic primary to Tlaib by a wide margin.

Brenda Jones
President of the Detroit City Council
In office
January 1, 2014 – January 1, 2022
Preceded bySaunteel Jenkins
Succeeded byMary Sheffield
Member of the Detroit City Council
At-Large
In office
January 1, 2014 – January 1, 2022
Preceded byKenneth Cockrel Jr.
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Michigan's 13th district
In office
November 6, 2018 – January 3, 2019
Preceded byJohn Conyers
Succeeded byRashida Tlaib
Member of the Detroit City Council
In office
January 3, 2006 – January 1, 2014
Personal details
Born (1959-10-24) October 24, 1959 (age 64)
Birmingham, Alabama, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
EducationWayne State University (BA, Graduate certificate)
Signature
WebsiteGovernment website

Early life edit

Brenda B. Jones was born on October 24, 1959, in Birmingham, Alabama, and her family moved to Detroit, Michigan, during the Great Migration. She attended public schools in Detroit, where she graduated from Cass Technical High School and later received a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from Wayne State University.[1] She also earned a Graduate certificate from Wayne State University.[2]Jones worked for Michigan Bell and was later elected as a union president of the Communications Workers of America Local 4004 in Detroit. She was appointed as an executive on the boards of the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation and the Detroit Transportation Commission.[3]

Politics edit

Detroit City Council edit

In 2005, Jones was elected to the Detroit City Council after placing ninth in the general election where nine seats were available and was reelected in 2009, 2013, and 2017.[4] In 2015, the council voted for her to serve as the President of the Detroit City Council with five voting in favor of her and four voting in favor of incumbent President Saunteel Jenkins.[5]

Jones did not seek reelection in 2021.[6]

U.S. House of Representatives edit

Elections edit

2018–2019 edit

On December 5, 2017, Representative John Conyers resigned after sexual harassment allegations were made against him and that he had secretly used taxpayer money to settle a harassment claim. A special election was called to replace Conyers and Jones narrowly won the Democratic primary for the special election–the real contest in this heavily Democratic, black-majority district. No Republican qualified to run, though any Republican challenger would have faced nearly impossible odds. Conyers had held the seat since 1965 (it had been numbered as the 1st from 1965 to 1993 and as the 14th from 1993 to 2013), and his lowest winning percentage was 77 percent.

However, in the Democratic primary for the general election, Jones was defeated by former state representative Rashida Tlaib. Prior to the general election, Jones filed to run as an independent write-in candidate, prompting criticism.[7][8]

During the course of the election campaign, questions arose as to whether Jones could serve in her Detroit City Council post concurrently with serving in Congress, an unprecedented situation up to that point.[9][10] An opinion by the Detroit Corporation Counsel, written in August 2018, stated that it was likely possible for Jones to legally serve in both capacities based on state law. The Counsel advised that the United States House Committee on Ethics be consulted to clarify federal and House rules.[11]

In the November 6 special election, Jones won with 86.8 percent of the vote, facing only a Taxpayers Party candidate as opposition. On the same day, she received 633 votes in the regular election for a full two-year term.

Speaker Paul Ryan delayed swearing Jones in until November 29, after receiving guidance from the House Ethics Committee on how Jones could minimize conflicts of interest.[12] She introduced two bills and cast 77 votes during her five-week tenure in the House of Representatives.[13]

2020 edit

On March 25, 2020, Jones filed to run again in the Democratic primary for Michigan's 13th congressional district against Tlaib.[14] Tlaib was considered possibly vulnerable to a primary challenge, due to her status as a democratic socialist, divisive rhetoric and attacks made on many popular national Democrats. For example, Tlaib booed former Secretary of State and 2016 Democratic Nominee Hillary Clinton.[15] However, Jones' campaign was wracked by allegations of financial misconduct.[16][17] On April 2, Jones announced that she had tested positive for COVID-19.[18] Jones decisively lost the primary election to Tlaib 66%-34% on August 4. The margin of Jones's loss was considered to be large.[19][17]

Electoral history edit

Brenda Jones electoral history
2005 Detroit City Council primary[20]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
NonpartisanKenneth Cockrel Jr. (incumbent)56,1076.08%
NonpartisanMaryann Mahaffey (incumbent)51,1805.55%
NonpartisanJoAnn Watson (incumbent)46,4495.04%
NonpartisanSheila Cockrel (incumbent)42,1234.57%
NonpartisanBarbara-Rose Collins (incumbent)39,4504.28%
NonpartisanAlberta Tinsley-Talabi (incumbent)39,3694.27%
NonpartisanKwame Kenyatta36,5633.96%
NonpartisanMonica Conyers28,4953.09%
NonpartisanMartha Reeves27,3132.96%
NonpartisanOrtheia Barnes23,1142.51%
NonpartisanJai-Lee Dearing22,4852.44%
NonpartisanBrenda Jones20,0152.17%
NonpartisanHilmer Kenty19,2702.09%
NonpartisanKeith B. Butler18,5782.01%
NonpartisanThomas Stallworth III (incumbent)16,2601.76%
NonpartisanAlonzo W. Bates (incumbent)15,1371.64%
NonpartisanTia Tia Davis13,7901.50%
NonpartisanBettie Cook Scott13,6931.48%
NonpartisanRoy McCalister, Jr.11,9311.29%
NonpartisanJoan Gist11,9071.29%
NonpartisanJames Edwards10,5291.14%
NonpartisanRalph Simpson10,3181.12%
NonpartisanMaureen Taylor9,3401.01%
NonpartisanLaMar Lemmons III9,2681.01%
NonpartisanDevon Jackson8,8400.96%
NonpartisanBeverly Kindle-Walker8,7630.95%
NonpartisanMarquita Reese8,5290.92%
NonpartisanJoe Young8,0670.87%
NonpartisanVanessa Jones7,8050.85%
NonpartisanKevin White7,6820.83%
NonpartisanKeith Hollowell7,3620.80%
NonpartisanKerwin Wimberley7,2830.79%
NonpartisanTerry Davis6,7230.73%
NonpartisanRichard Shelby6,6470.72%
NonpartisanOtis Knapp Lee6,5900.71%
NonpartisanFrank Archer6,4900.70%
NonpartisanErnest Flagg6,3810.69%
NonpartisanBarry Blackwell6,2910.68%
NonpartisanOrlando Maddox6,2240.68%
NonpartisanJames Wadsworth III5,9690.65%
NonpartisanSigmunt J. Szczepkowski5,8010.63%
NonpartisanSarah Snow5,7150.62%
NonpartisanKarinda Washington5,6800.62%
NonpartisanKaren Wahls5,5990.61%
NonpartisanPalencia Mobley5,2270.57%
NonpartisanLee Yancy5,0710.55%
NonpartisanClaud Dent5,0150.54%
NonpartisanRandolph Williams4,9950.54%
NonpartisanDennis Vaughn4,5990.50%
NonpartisanGwendolyn Mingo4,1860.45%
NonpartisanJoseph Vaughn4,1640.45%
NonpartisanHarry Lewis4,0880.44%
NonpartisanEarl Smith4,0640.44%
NonpartisanD. Etta Wilcoxon4,0200.44%
NonpartisanCraig Davis3,8890.42%
NonpartisanCheryl Hughley Clark3,8640.42%
NonpartisanWilliam Miller3,6300.39%
NonpartisanKyra Joy Hope3,6060.39%
NonpartisanDelbert Jennings3,5300.38%
NonpartisanJoanne Wormley-Corley3,4640.38%
NonpartisanBarbara Herard3,3590.36%
NonpartisanCheryl Myhand3,2990.36%
NonpartisanLoren Monroe3,1950.35%
NonpartisanKeith Lee3,0870.34%
NonpartisanDana Cleveland2,9320.32%
NonpartisanAnthony Marshall2,9110.32%
NonpartisanKenneth Gray2,9070.32%
NonpartisanMaxine Mickens2,9070.32%
NonpartisanRick Scott2,8240.31%
NonpartisanRogelio Landin2,7120.29%
NonpartisanNathanial Smith Jr.2,6100.28%
NonpartisanCarol Edwards2,5800.28%
NonpartisanPatric Smith2,5780.28%
NonpartisanCurtis Harris2,4890.27%
NonpartisanSandra Hall-Harmon2,4110.26%
NonpartisanLouis Anderson2,3720.26%
NonpartisanLisa Milewski-Randles2,3670.26%
NonpartisanWalter Hart Jr.2,3420.25%
NonpartisanKelvin Davis2,2980.25%
NonpartisanChevis Spratt Jr.2,2970.25%
NonpartisanEbony Godwin2,2900.25%
NonpartisanJeff Lewis2,2750.25%
NonpartisanMarino Taylor2,2690.25%
NonpartisanEvelyn Louis2,2120.24%
NonpartisanRicky Spann2,1830.24%
NonpartisanAngel D. Mason2,1510.23%
NonpartisanAngela Daniels2,1210.23%
NonpartisanElizabeth Osorio-Luna2,1150.23%
NonpartisanAngles Hunt2,1110.23%
NonpartisanBoyd Morson2,0810.23%
NonpartisanMattie Jones2,0530.22%
NonpartisanVera Kidd2,0520.22%
NonpartisanRubin Mann III2,0400.22%
NonpartisanJohn Mackay2,0060.22%
NonpartisanJoseph W. Holt1,9410.21%
NonpartisanBrian Ellison1,9230.21%
NonpartisanRujeania Vance1,9110.21%
NonpartisanAdrienne Kennedy1,9100.21%
NonpartisanMarie Gunter1,9090.21%
NonpartisanS. Denise Ratliff1,8420.20%
NonpartisanVerdinna Jenkins1,7290.19%
NonpartisanCharles Stedman1,7050.19%
NonpartisanLarry Allen1,7020.18%
NonpartisanFlora McDougal1,6760.18%
NonpartisanStanley Shelby1,6380.18%
NonpartisanB. Thrasher Whisenhunt1,5390.17%
NonpartisanIrma Jaxon1,4970.16%
NonpartisanIrin Montgomery1,4830.16%
NonpartisanNathan Henry1,4720.16%
NonpartisanEarnesteen Tyler1,3090.14%
NonpartisanAl Allison1,3060.14%
NonpartisanDamian Mitchell1,2860.14%
NonpartisanDeLonda A. Browner1,2770.14%
NonpartisanNacio Thomas1,2390.13%
NonpartisanForest Holman1,2160.13%
NonpartisanRenelius Bell1,1850.13%
NonpartisanAlbert Burden1,1430.12%
NonpartisanJoe Yelder1,1170.12%
NonpartisanDobey Gavin1,0270.11%
NonpartisanWrite-ins9230.10%
NonpartisanCaleb Coan III7160.08%
Total votes922,594 100.00%
2005 Detroit City Council election[21]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
NonpartisanKenneth Cockrel Jr. (incumbent)152,3189.31%
NonpartisanMonica Conyers123,2647.54%
NonpartisanJoAnn Watson (incumbent)122,0607.46%
NonpartisanSheila Cockrel (incumbent)119,1837.29%
NonpartisanBarbara-Rose Collins (incumbent)116,3297.11%
NonpartisanKwame Kenyatta113,0636.91%
NonpartisanAlberta Tinsley-Talabi (incumbent)108,6646.64%
NonpartisanMartha Reeves92,4215.65%
NonpartisanBrenda Jones90,6695.54%
NonpartisanJai-Lee Dearing87,2995.34%
NonpartisanOrtheia Barnes75,2994.60%
NonpartisanHilmer Kenty72,8744.46%
NonpartisanKeith B. Butler69,3844.24%
NonpartisanTia Tia Davis67,8774.15%
NonpartisanThomas Stallworth III (incumbent)67,2164.11%
NonpartisanBettie Cook Scott65,2093.99%
NonpartisanAlonzo W. Bates (incumbent)57,4733.51%
NonpartisanMaryann Mahaffey (incumbent)34,8532.13%
Total votes1,635,455 100.00%
2013 Detroit City Council at-large primary[22]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
NonpartisanSaunteel Jenkins (incumbent)51,91734.23%
NonpartisanBrenda Jones (incumbent)45,52430.02%
NonpartisanDavid Bullock15,73410.38%
NonpartisanRoy McCalister Jr.13,3978.83%
NonpartisanMonica Lewis-Patrick9,7516.43%
NonpartisanAngles Hunt5,5133.64%
NonpartisanCedric Banks5,3173.51%
NonpartisanJessica M. Rayford-Clark4,5072.97%
Total votes151,660 100.00%
2013 Detroit City Council at-large election[23]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
NonpartisanBrenda Jones (incumbent)76,97834.55%
NonpartisanSaunteel Jenkins (incumbent)76,94134.54%
NonpartisanDavid Bullock39,00017.51%
NonpartisanRoy McCalister Jr.29,85513.40%
Total votes222,774 100.00%
2017 Detroit City Council at-large primary[24]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
NonpartisanBrenda Jones (incumbent)46,11045.29%
NonpartisanJaneé Ayers (incumbent)25,74225.28%
NonpartisanMary D. Waters17,19016.88%
NonpartisanBeverly Kindle-Walker6,5876.47%
NonpartisanAlisa McKinney6,1856.08%
Total votes101,814 100.00%
2017 Detroit City Council at-large election[25]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
NonpartisanBrenda Jones (incumbent)71,30642.79%
NonpartisanJaneé Ayers (incumbent)48,10328.87%
NonpartisanMary D. Waters32,71719.63%
NonpartisanBeverly Kindle-Walker14,5228.71%
Total votes166,648 100.00%
2018 Michigan Thirteenth Congressional district special Democratic primary[26]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
DemocraticBrenda Jones32,76937.75%
DemocraticRashida Tlaib31,12135.85%
DemocraticWilliam R. Wild13,17415.18%
DemocraticIan Conyers9,74911.23%
Total votes86,813 100.00%
2018 Michigan Thirteenth Congressional district Democratic primary[27]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
DemocraticRashida Tlaib27,84131.17%
DemocraticBrenda Jones26,94130.16%
DemocraticWilliam R. Wild12,61314.12%
DemocraticColeman Young II11,17212.51%
DemocraticIan Conyers5,8666.57%
DemocraticShanelle Jackson4,8535.43%
DemocraticKimberly Hill Knott (write-in)330.04%
DemocraticRoyce Kinniebrew (write-in)20.00%
Total votes89,321 100.00%
2018 Michigan Thirteenth Congressional district special election[28]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
DemocraticBrenda Jones169,33086.84%+9.74%
ConstitutionMarc J. Sosnowski17,3028.87%+8.87%
GreenD. Etta Wilcoxon8,3194.27%+4.27%
RepublicanDavid A. Dudenhoefer (write-in)360.02%-15.71%
IndependentJonathan Lee Pommerville (write-in)50.00%+0.00%
IndependentDanetta L. Simpson (write-in)10.00%+0.00%
Total votes194,993 100.00%
2018 Michigan Thirteenth Congressional district election[29]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
DemocraticRashida Tlaib165,35586.84%+9.74%
Working ClassSam Johnson22,18611.30%+11.30%
GreenD. Etta Wilcoxon7,9804.07%-0.27%
IndependentBrenda Jones (write-in)6330.32%-86.52%
RepublicanDavid A. Dudenhoefer (write-in)750.04%+0.02%
IndependentJonathan Lee Pommerville (write-in)610.03%+0.03%
IndependentDanetta L. Simpson (write-in)30.00%+0.00%
IndependentJohn Conyers III (write-in)30.00%+0.00%
IndependentRoyce Kinniebrew (write-in)20.00%+0.00%
IndependentKimberly Hill Knott (write-in)10.00%+0.00%
IndependentJim Casha (write-in)10.00%+0.00%
Total votes196,299 100.00%

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Detroit council candidates sound off on blight, neighborhoods vs. downtown focus". August 1, 2017. Archived from the original on April 2, 2020.
  2. ^ "JONES, Brenda | US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives".
  3. ^ "Detroit City Council head seeks Conyers' Congress seat". January 26, 2018. Archived from the original on April 2, 2020.
  4. ^ "City Council: Important chance for change". Detroit Free Press. November 10, 2005. p. 14. Archived from the original on April 2, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ Gottlieb, Bryan (April 2, 2020). "Detroit City Council Elects New President". Metro Times. Archived from the original on April 2, 2020.
  6. ^ Ikonomova, Violet (January 5, 2021). "Detroit City Council president Brenda Jones says she won't seek re-election — but don't count her out yet". deadlinedetroit.com. Deadline Detroit. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  7. ^ Ferretti, Christine; Burke, Melissa Nann (October 29, 2018). "Jones riles Democrats with independent run". Detroit News. Archived from the original on April 2, 2020.
  8. ^ Samilton, Tracy (October 31, 2018). "Detroit City Council President Brenda Jones' unwelcome announcement". Michigan Radio. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  9. ^ Burke, Melissa Nann (October 23, 2018). "Lack of precedent clouds Brenda Jones' bid for Conyers seat". The Detroit News. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
  10. ^ Burke, Melissa Nann & Ferretti, Christine (November 7, 2018). "Tlaib urges Jones to say if she'll leave city post for partial term". The Detroit News. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
  11. ^ Stafford, Kat (August 13, 2018). "Detroit: Brenda Jones can hold John Conyers', council seat". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
  12. ^ Melissa Nann Burke (November 29, 2018). "Jones sworn into Congress after deal reached". The Detroit News. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
  13. ^ Burke, Melissa Nann (January 1, 2019). "The 5-week congresswoman: Brenda Jones exiting House". Detroit News. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
  14. ^ Burke, Melissa Nann (March 25, 2020). "Brenda Jones running for Congress again in challenge to Tlaib". Detroit News. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  15. ^ "Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib boos Hillary Clinton at Sanders campaign event in Iowa". CNN. February 2020.
  16. ^ Cunningham-Cook, Matthew (May 28, 2020). "Tlaib Opponent Brenda Jones Collected Campaign Contributions From Quicken Loans Executives As Public Subsidies Flowed". The Intercept. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  17. ^ a b Broadwater, Luke (August 5, 2020). "Rashida Tlaib Cruises to Victory in a Primary Rematch". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
  18. ^ Guillen, Joe (April 2, 2020). "Detroit City Council President Brenda Jones tests positive for coronavirus". Detroit Free Press. Archived from the original on April 2, 2020.
  19. ^ Burke, Melissa Nann (August 4, 2020). "Tlaib wins rematch with Jones in Michigan's 13th District". Detroit News.
  20. ^ "2005 Detroit City Council primary". December 5, 2014.
  21. ^ "2005 Detroit City Council election". March 25, 2008.
  22. ^ "2013 Detroit City Council at-large primary". August 7, 2013.
  23. ^ "2013 Detroit City Council at-large election". December 8, 2014.
  24. ^ "2017 Detroit City Council at-large primary". October 14, 2017.
  25. ^ "2017 Detroit City Council at-large election". April 6, 2018.
  26. ^ "2018 Michigan Thirteenth Congressional district special Democratic primary". May 14, 2019.
  27. ^ "2018 Michigan Thirteenth Congressional district Democratic primary". May 14, 2019.
  28. ^ "2018 Michigan Thirteenth Congressional district special election". April 22, 2019.
  29. ^ "2018 Michigan Thirteenth Congressional district election". November 26, 2018.

External links edit

U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Michigan's 13th congressional district

2018–2019
Succeeded by
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded byas former U.S. Representative Order of precedence of the United States
as former U.S. Representative
Succeeded byas former U.S. Representative