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.
Ohio's congressional districts are currently composed of 10 Republicans and five Democrats; however, both the Sykes and Kaptur seats were already leaning red. Landsman's was leaning slightly blue. With this anticipated map, it would keep a 12-3 map that already existed in 2022.
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. Both districts for Landsman and Kaptur get more Republican, but the Cincinnati congressman could be considered a toss-up.
Kaptur's district would become several points more Republican than it was in 2022.
The public audience was furious at the introduction of the map during a hearing on Thursday.
By passing through the ORC instead of the General Assembly, the map is not subject to a referendum.
Democrats on Thursday said that this was the fairest they could do in a "broken system."
Kaptur is the longest-serving female member of the U.S. House in history. She is currently the fourth most tenured member of the chamber.
This article was written by Morgan Trau for the Scripps News Group.
