Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

State GOP Endorses Congressional Redistricting Plan On May Ballot

The Ohio Republican Party voted last night to join Democrats in endorsing the legislature's congressional redistricting plan going to the ballot in May. 

ML Schultze of member station WKSU in Kent reports.

Ohio Senate President Larry Obhof acknowledged to the state’s GOP central committee that the way Ohio divides its congressional districts has been good to Republicans for decades. That’s because Republicans have controlled the state Legislature when it’s redrawn the map every 10 years. But Obhof cautioned things are bound to change.

“We’re not always going to have the majorities we have now and I think that’s true for the Democrats as well. It’s not just for 2021, it’s also 2031, 2041, making sure we have the right process in place.”
 
House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger also pointed to court challenges pending in other states over their congressional maps. And he predicted a referendum that was heading to the November ballot in Ohio would have been worse for Republicans. The citizen’s groups backing that referendum have agreed to put their effort on hold and endorse the May issue.

The Statehouse News Bureau was founded in 1980 to provide educational, comprehensive coverage of legislation, elections, issues and other activities surrounding the Statehouse to Ohio's public radio and television stations. To this day, the Bureau remains the only broadcast outlet dedicated to in-depth coverage of state government news and topics of statewide interest. The Bureau is funded througheTech Ohio, and is managed by ideastream. The reporters at the Bureau follow the concerns of the citizens and voters of Ohio, as well as the actions of the Governor, the Ohio General Assembly, the Ohio Supreme Court, and other elected officials. We strive to cover statehouse news, government issues, Ohio politics, and concerns of business, culture and the arts with balance and fairness, and work to present diverse voices and points of view from the Statehouse and throughout Ohio. The three award-winning journalists at the bureau have more than 60 combined years of radio and television experience. They can be heard on National Public Radio and are regular contributors to Morning Edition, All Things Considered and Marketplace. Every weekday, the Statehouse News Bureau produces in-depth news reports forOhio's public radio stations. Those stories are also available on this website, either on the front page or in our archives. Weekly, the Statehouse News Bureau produces a television show from our studios in the Statehouse. The State of Ohio is an unique blend of news, interviews, talk and analysis, and is broadcast on Ohio's public television stations. The Statehouse News Bureau also produces special programming throughout the year, including the Governor's annual State of the State address to the Ohio General Assembly and a five-part year-end review.
Related Content