COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio has new congressional map lines, shifting several blue districts to lean more red. This map is being called a "compromise" by both GOP and Democratic leaders on the commission.
The Ohio Redistricting Commission (ORC) passed the map 7-0.
Gov. Mike DeWine, Secretary of State Frank LaRose, Auditor Keith Faber, House Finance Chair Brian Stewart, Sen. Jane Timken, House Minority Leader Dani Isaacsohn and Senate Minority Leader Nickie Antonio sit on the commission.
The map makes several changes in key races. Democratic Reps. Emilia Sykes of District 13 in Northeast Ohio, Marcy Kaptur of District 9 in Northwest Ohio and Greg Landsman of District 1 in Southwest Ohio have been the top GOP targets, according to Republican party leaders.
The way the 2022 map was drawn had 12 Republican-leaning seats, but both Sykes and Kaptur won despite the red districts. Landsman's was leaning slightly blue.
Thus, Ohio's congressional districts are currently composed of 10 Republicans and five Democrats.
Sykes appears to be in the best position of the three, with her seat now slightly leaning blue, but still left in a purple district.
"The voters of Ohio's 13th Congressional District elected me to fight for lower costs, put more money in their pockets, and to keep our children and families safe," Sykes said. "It is the honor of my life to represent my community in Congress and continuing to do the work my constituents elected me to do remains my priority. I look forward to running for re-election in Ohio's 13th District to continue fighting for our values in Washington, and I will work to earn the votes of new communities that have been added to the 13th District. I will always believe that regardless of party, all voters deserve to choose their elected officials and not the other way around."
Both districts for Landsman and Kaptur get more Republican, but the Cincinnati congressman could be considered a toss-up.
Out team in Cincinnati reached out to Landsman but hasn't heard back.
Kaptur's district would become several points more Republican than it was in 2022.
Kaptur wrote on X: "Gerrymandering diminishes our state’s stature even as population stagnates. Ohio voters have consistently called for fair representation and transparency. While Democrats on the Redistricting Commission proposed a fair map at the outset of this process, in one party rule Columbus, self-interested politicians cut side deals to pave their own future. I remain committed to serving Northwest Ohio and will seek re-election with a renewed focus on accountability and protecting the voice of the people. Our democracy works best when voters choose their leaders, not when politicians choose their voters. Let the Columbus politicians make their self-serving maps and play musical chairs, I will fight on for the people and ask the voters for their support next year."
The public audience was furious at the introduction of the map during a hearing on Thursday — and that anger continued into Friday. Citizens were forcibly pushed out of the hearing room, while others chanted "Shame, shame, shame."
RELATED: Ohio Republicans, Democrats introduce bipartisan congressional map that favors GOP
Republicans call the new map "a win."
"The fact that there are 12 districts in which Republicans have a very good opportunity to be successful is something that our caucus is pleased about," Stewart said.
But Columbus resident Julia Cattaneo argued that this map doesn’t represent the will of the people.
"You have the majority of Republicans that are here from a gerrymandered map, creating a more gerrymandered map," Cattaneo said.
On average, Republicans win 55% to 45% over Democrats in Ohio. Using that same proportion, there would be eight red and seven blue districts.
“Nickie and Dani, you should be ashamed of yourselves,” progressive activist Katy Shanahan shouted as she was shoved out of the room by Statehouse security.
Antonio and Isaacsohn say they made this deal because they were threatened with an even more Republican map.
"It is the best in a worst-case scenario of all the options we faced," Antonio said. "Like our previous map, Democrats continue to have a narrow path, winning 4 to 5 seats under these lines."
I asked the Democrats: "Clearly, there's a lot of strategy that was involved in this, but the optics are — from a lot of the people here — that you sold out Ohioans. How are you going to convince them that you didn't?"
Antonio said: "The chatter on social media has been very interesting because for every person that says what you just said, there are three people that say the Republicans did the same thing."
Stewart acknowledged the pushback from further right Republicans.
"There are some people that would prefer we went a little farther," Stewart said.
Cattaneo said if the Democrats hadn’t helped pass this map, citizens could have collected signatures to get a referendum on the ballot — giving the people the choice of a map.
"We are on a really bad path," Cattaneo said.
By passing through the ORC instead of the General Assembly, the map is not subject to a referendum.
This map will be used for the next six years.
Follow WEWS statehouse reporter Morgan Trau on Twitter and Facebook.
