Brian's Working-Class Story
Brian's story is our district's story — folks who put on their work attire and show up to build a better life for their family and their community.
Brian Poindexter is the son of a union machinist, the grandson of a union autoworker, and one of six children who grew up in the City of Cleveland. His mother was a stay-at-home mom, and while they didn’t come from wealth, they had everything a family needs: a stable home and a strong example.
Brian grew up watching his father work to provide for the family, and he adopted that same characteristic early in his own life. Everything Brian has done has been to build a foundation for his family. He is the proud father of two daughters, both of whom are on the path to becoming college graduates; his oldest with a degree in accounting from Cleveland State, and his youngest currently pursuing her nursing degree.
By age 15, he was already working in a machine shop while lettering in three high school sports—football, wrestling, and baseball. His schedule was relentless: he would work the 7-to-11 shift every night after school and put in double shifts on weekends. That drive to work never slowed down. After high school, Brian worked in kitchens and factories, driving tow motors, plating, and powder coating. He eventually joined the moving industry, obtaining his Class A CDL and traveling across all 48 continental United States.
His true career began when he joined the Ironworkers. Since 2007, Brian has been a proud union Ironworker. He worked his way through the apprenticeship program while simultaneously earning an Associate Degree in Applied Industrial Technology from Cuyahoga Community College. After graduating, he spent two years as a union organizer (2012–2014), fighting to bring the benefits of union membership to others who were struggling without representation. He returned to the field in 2014 to run some of the region's most complex jobs, including the Lumen at Playhouse Square, the Headframe at Morton’s Salt, and critical infrastructure at NASA Glenn Research Center. Today, he serves as an apprenticeship instructor at Ironworkers Local 17, passing these skills on to the next generation.
In 2017, Brian took that same pro-worker mentality to public service, getting elected as an At-Large member of Brook Park City Council. Throughout his time in office, he has been a steadfast advocate for working families, opposing "Right to Work" laws and school choice vouchers while supporting the postal system and public schools.
Brian is a fighter for workers because he is a worker. Whether on a machine shop floor, walking a beam on a Cleveland skyscraper, or sitting down with a resident to solve a local issue, Brian Poindexter lives and breathes working-class values and will bring that pro-worker mentality to the halls of Congress after he is elected on November 3rd, 2026.
Members of the U.S. House of Representatives write and vote on federal laws, including the federal budget. Each represents one district and serves a two-year term. Tax bills must start in the House, only the House can impeach federal officials, and members oversee federal agencies through their committees.