The Ohio Redistricting Commission, by a 7-0 vote Friday morning, took a deal on a congressional map that legislative leaders brokered behind closed doors.
The state will now avoid a lengthier fight over a mandated redraw of boundaries for the 15 members of Congress from Ohio. The two Democrats, Senate Minority Leader Nickie Antonio (D-Lakewood) and House Minority Leader Dani Isaacsohn (D-Cincinnati), voted for the map and slammed the door on an emerging repeal effort.
What the commission enacted tilts districts in Cincinnati and Toledo further right and Akron further left, giving Democratic Reps. Greg Landsman (OH-1) and Marcy Kaptur (OH-9) tougher races while easing off Emilia Sykes (OH-13). It would also make several other already-red seats even friendlier to the GOP.
Starting Wednesday afternoon, with just 24 hours’ notice, the commission scheduled a meeting for Thursday afternoon and then a meeting for Friday morning—to introduce the map and then to vote on the map, as required by the Ohio Constitution.
