Ohio Democrats Propose Congressional Map Reducing GOP Seats

Ohio Democrats have proposed a new congressional redistricting map aimed at creating a fairer and more competitive representation, increasing the number of districts leaning Democratic to seven out of fifteen. The plan, unveiled by Ohio Senate Democratic Leader Nickie Antonio and House Minority Leader Dani Isaacsohn, follows statewide voter preferences from the last decade and seeks to minimize county splits while keeping communities intact. Republicans, holding the majority in the Ohio legislature, have dismissed the proposal as unrealistic and indicated plans to maintain or increase Republican-leaning districts, potentially targeting Democratic incumbents in Toledo and Akron. The Democratic map attempts to reflect the 2024 presidential results in Ohio, where President Donald Trump won 55-44%, suggesting a proportional balance of eight Republican and seven Democratic districts. Despite the Democrats' call for bipartisan cooperation to pass the map before the end of the month, GOP leaders remain largely silent or critical as the redistricting deadline approaches. This local contest mirrors a broader national struggle over gerrymandering, with majority parties typically drawing maps to favor their own candidates.