Fudge, Marcia L. (Marcia Louise), 1952-

Marcia Louise Fudge (born October 29, 1952) is an American attorney and politician who has been the Senate-confirmed nominee for Secretary of Housing and Urban Development since March 2021. She served as the U.S. Representative for Ohio's 11th congressional district from 2008 to 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, she won the 2008 special election uncontested, succeeding Stephanie Tubbs Jones, who died in office. Fudge was chair of the Congressional Black Caucus in the 113th Congress. President Joe Biden nominated Fudge as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. On February 4, 2021, the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs advanced her nomination by a vote of 17-7, and confirmed by the entire United States Senate on March 10, 2021.

Fudge was born in Cleveland, Ohio, on October 29, 1952. A 1971 graduate of Shaker Heights High School, she earned her Bachelor of Science in business from Ohio State University in 1975. In 1983, she earned a Juris Doctor from Cleveland State University Cleveland–Marshall College of Law.

After college, she worked as a law clerk and studied legal research. She also worked in the Cuyahoga County prosecutor's office as Director of Budget and Finance. Fudge has also worked as an auditor for the county's estate tax department and has occasionally served as a visiting judge and as a chief referee for arbitration.

Fudge was the mayor of Warrensville Heights, Ohio, from 2000 to November 18, 2008. Her 1999 campaign was her first run for any elected office. She was the town's first female and first African American mayor.

Fudge served as chief of staff to U.S. Representative Stephanie Tubbs Jones during Jones's first term in Congress. She has also served on the board of trustees for the Cleveland Public Library.

After Stephanie Tubbs Jones's death on August 20, 2008, a committee of local Democratic leaders selected Fudge as her replacement on the November ballot. This virtually assured her election in the heavily Democratic, black-majority district. Fudge won the November 4 general election, defeating Republican Thomas Pekarek with 85% of the vote. She was unopposed in a November 18 special election for the balance of Jones's fifth term, and won with less than 9,000 votes cast. She was sworn in on November 19, 2008, giving her almost two months' more seniority than the rest of the 2008 House freshman class.

On December 10, 2020, President Biden announced his plan to nominate Fudge for Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. She appeared before the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs on January 28, 2021. On February 4, committee chairman Sherrod Brown advanced her nomination after a 17-7 vote in favor.

On March 10, 2021, Fudge was confirmed by the Senate by a vote of 66-34 and was virtually sworn into office by Vice President Kamala Harris later that day.