Ed FitzGerald

Ed FitzGerald earned a bachelor's degree from The Ohio State University and a law degree from the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law at Cleveland State University in 1993. His career experience includes working in business and as a special agent with the FBI. In this role, he was assigned to the Organized Crime Task Force in Chicago, investigating political corruption and mafia influence. After leaving the FBI, he returned to Ohio, serving as an assistant county prosecutor. In 2007, he was elected Mayor of Lakewood and in 2010 elected as Cuyahoga County Executive.[1][2]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I have many years of public service, including serving as a Special Agent with the FBI focusing on corruption cases, an Assistant County Prosecutor, City Councilman, Mayor, and County Executive. In all my public positions, I have focused on integrity and reform. For the past 12 years, I have been a small business owner, primarily in digital media. My wife Shannon and I raised our four children, and now have two grandchildren. I worry about the kind of country they will inherit, because of the direction our current political leadership is taking. I decided to re-enter politics with that mission in mind.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Our democracy is under attack, and must be defended and preserved. This current administration, in myriad ways, is seeking to discredit our democratic institutions. We must stop this movement, and strengthen it for the future.Medicare for All. I believe the time has come to finally guarantee universal health care for all American citizens, and I believe the gradual lowering of eligibility for Medicare is the most practical method to get there. The current system has enormous gaps in it, from lack of insurance, to underinsurance, to excessive costs. We already pay more per capita than other nations that have universal coverage, and it is time to finally make it a reality.Affordability. Across a wide range of costs, life is becoming unaffordable for too many Americans. We should do more to reward families that are working full time but still cannot afford the basics. I favor doing more with programs for first time home buyers, family medical leave, and child care, among others.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Corruption. It has reached epidemic levels in this administration, and the Republican majority in Congress is looking the other way. I have extensive experience in investigating and eliminating corruption, and there is much work to do in this area.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Flip the Congress

National Ground Game

Numerous local elected officials

Campaign websiteFitzGerald's campaign website stated the following:Fighting Corruption & Restoring AccountabilityEd FitzGerald has spent his life fighting against corruption. As an FBI Special Agent, he investigated Chicago organized crime and corrupt politicians. Later, after five years as a prosecutor, he was elected County Executive of Cuyahoga County, taking over after another major FBI corruption investigation. Reforming every aspect of county government, his administration was called a national model for honest government by the Department of Justice. We need that level of expertise and commitment as Washington is drowning in corruption at a level never seen before in our history. Ed believes in using Congress' oversight function to root out the corrupt practices we see every day in the Trump administration. We need to lay the groundwork for holding accountable those officials flouting the laws and the Constitution. But just as serious is the epidemic of what Ed calls "legalized bribery." That includes stock trading by member of Congress, which Ed wants to ban. It includes the revolving door, where officials and members of Congress get paid millions to lobby for the same industries they were supposed to regulate. And it means creating a radically transparent system where the sources of lobbying money is revealed real time. Finally, real reform means overturning Citizens United, eliminating dark money, and adopting a public financing system for Congressional campaigns. Right now, the richest Americans have hijacked our government with their billions- and it's time to take it back. Lowering Costs for Working FamiliesFamilies across Northeast Ohio are being squeezed by rising prices on everything from groceries to housing to gas prices. Max Miller and Donald Trump have supported tariff taxes which we are all paying, and it's driving up costs all across the board. At the same time, a few corporations are squeezing out real competition, which gives them more power to price gouge, profiteer, and collude to drive up prices. As a small business owner for a dozen years, Ed understands the difference between real competition and monopolies. He favors aggressive anti-trust policies to restore a more competitive private market Protecting Social Security & MedicareAfter a lifetime of work, seniors deserve security—not uncertainty. Ed will oppose any effort to cut or privatize Social Security and Medicare. He’ll work to strengthen these programs so they are there for current retirees and future generations.​The Trump administration, with Max Miller's support, has cut staff to Social Security and Medicare. Wait times are increasing, and they are trying to lay the groundwork to privatize these crucial programs. It's all for their favored friends to get rich, while the rest of us have our pensions and medical care thrown into doubt. This will not happen on Ed's watch!​Standing Up for Workers & UnionsEd worked his way through night school, labored on the factory floor, and in the construction industry. He knows firsthand what hard work means. He is a 100% pro-union Democrat who will fight for fair wages, safe working conditions, and the right to organize. Ed supports legislation like the Protect America’s Workforce Act to preserve protections for workers.​Ed also believes in standing up for non-union workers, by increasing the minimum wage and ensuring that everyone who works full time has a pathway to the middle class.​It's time for Medicare for AllHealthcare is a right—not a privilege. America is the wealthiest country in the world, and there is no reason that every American shouldn't have quality healthcare, without the risk of crippling debt.Ed will defend the Affordable Care Act, protect coverage for pre-existing conditions, and work to expand access to affordable care. He’ll fight to lower premiums and stop attempts to take healthcare away from millions of Americans.​But more than that, he believes that we need to move towards universal health coverage by phasing in Medicare for All. Only by breaking the monopoly of the for profit insurance companies can we finally give Americans the health care every family deserves.​Supporting VeteransNortheast Ohio is home to thousands of veterans who deserve the best care our country can provide. But recent cuts to the VA, supported by Max Miller, are degrading care and increasing wait and response times.Ed will work to strengthen the staffing of the VA, reduce wait times, and ensure veterans have quality healthcare, housing, and job opportunities.​As a County Executive, Ed prioritized veteran hiring and opportunities. As a Congressman, he will do the same.​Strengthening American Manufacturing & JobsOhio should be a leader in manufacturing and innovation—not left behind.Ed will invest in American industry, support supply chain resilience, and bring good-paying jobs back to our communities. He’ll fight for policies that support workers—not outsource their livelihoods.​There is a growing threat that the combination of AI and automation will eliminate the jobs of many Americans. We need to plan now to make sure that entire sectors of the job market are not left behind.​Whenever possible, Ed supports the federal government using American products, made here, and preferably by union workers.​Investing in NASA GlennMax Miller used to serve on the Science and Technology Committee, which was the perfect place to advocate for NASA Glenn. But he recently was transferred off that committee - at his request- and onto the Foreign Affairs Committee, and that left this district in a weaker position. NASA Glenn has suffered from budget cuts in the last year, also thanks to Max Miller. Instead of defunding it, we should be increasing funding so that it can be more of a center of innovation and job growth.Ed supports positioning NASA Glenn to be a hub of emerging technological industries, right here in Northeast Ohio.​​Addressing the Housing CrisisSince 2010, the average age of a first-time home buyer has gone up by 10 years, from age 30 to age 40. Homeownership is part of the American dream, and it is slipping away from us.​Ed FitzGerald supports mortgage assistance for first-time home buyers. At the same time, he supports a ban on large corporations and private equity groups from buying up homes and driving up prices.​The third part of his strategy is to support the construction of affordable homes, to increase the housing supply and lower prices. Defending DemocracyOur democracy is hanging by a thread. This administration is constantly undermining our faith in the electoral process. They seek to make voting more difficult, especially for seniors and women through the so-called SAVE Act, which Max Miller supports. On top of all that, the legalized bribery that constitutes our campaign finance system continues to get worse and worse. Billionaires are hijacking our democracy with levels of campaign spending never seen before. If that wasn't bad enough, our due process rights and freedom of speech is also under constant attack.​Once this election is won, we need an aggressive agenda to strengthen the democratic process and our institutions. We can never again have a president who behaves as an unaccountable king.​Ed FitzGerald believes in using investigation, legislation, and litigation- all the tools at our disposal- to fight to preserve democracy in this 250th anniversary of the Spirit of 1776.— Ed FitzGerald's campaign website (April 24, 2026)Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.