Ohio State Committee, Virginia lawmakers advance congressional redistricting plans

A committee in Republican-dominated Ohio approved new U.S. House districts on Friday, which could boost the GOP’s chances of winning two more seats in next year’s elections and help President Donald Trump’s efforts to retain a narrow majority in Congress.

The action by the Ohio Redistricting Commission came as the Democratic-led Virginia General Assembly advanced a proposed constitutional amendment that could pave the way for redistricting in the state before next year’s midterm congressional elections. The Senate on Friday passed a resolution allowing lawmakers to temporarily bypass the bipartisan redistricting commission and gerrymander their maps. The House of Representatives submitted it on Wednesday.

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Trump is urging Republican-led states to reshape their districts in the US House of Representatives in an attempt to win more seats. But unlike other states, Ohio’s redistricting was required by the state constitution because existing districts were certified after the 2020 census without bipartisan support.

Ohio joins Texas, Missouri and North Carolina, where Republican lawmakers have already reviewed their congressional districts.

Democrats have been backing down. California voters are deciding Tuesday on a redistricting plan approved by the Democratic-led Legislature.

Political parties are locked in a heated battle, because Democrats need to win only three seats in next year’s elections to win control of the House of Representatives and gain the power necessary to block Trump’s agenda.

Read more: Less talk about Trump and more focus on the economy is part of the playbook for Democrats in Tuesday’s election

In Ohio, Republicans already hold 10 of the 15 seats in Congress. The new map could boost Republicans’ chances in already competitive districts currently held by Democratic Reps. Greg Landsman in Cincinnati and Marcy Kaptur near Toledo. Kaptur won State 22 last year by about 2,400 votes, or less than one percentage point, in a district won by Trump. Landsman was re-elected with over 54% of the vote.

Ohio residents criticize the new map

The Ohio state commission had faced a Friday deadline to adopt a new map, otherwise the task would have fallen to the GOP-led Legislature, which could have designed districts more favorable to Republicans. But any redistricting bill passed by the Legislature would have been subject to a petition drive initiated by opponents seeking to force a public referendum on the new map.

The uncertainty surrounding that legislative process provided commissioners from both parties with some incentive to reach a settlement. All seven commissioners — five Republicans and two Democrats — voted in favor of the new map.

But Ohioans who testified before commissioners on Friday denounced the new districts. Julia Cattaneo, who wore a T-shirt that said “Gerrymandering is Fraud,” said the new map was more rigged in favor of Republicans than the one it replaces and is not the kind of compromise needed.

“Yes, you are compromising your integrity, honor, duty and representation of the people of Ohio,” she said.

“This map is an affront to democracy, and all of you – every single one of you – should be ashamed,” added resident Scott Sibley.

Republican State Auditor Keith Farber, a member of the committee, defended the map during a heated exchange with an opponent. Because many Democrats live in cities and many Republicans in rural areas, he said there is no way to draw a map to create eight Republican districts and seven Democratic districts — as some have urged — without dividing cities, counties and towns.

Virginia Democrats point to Trump for redistricting defense

Virginia is represented in the US House of Representatives by six Democrats and five Republicans. Democratic lawmakers have not revealed their planned new map, nor how many seats they are trying to win, but they have said their moves are necessary to respond to Trump-inspired gerrymandering in Republican-led states.

“Our voters are asking to have that voice,” said Democratic Senator Barbara Favola. “They are asking us to protect democracy, not allow gerrymandering to happen across the country, and we sit idly by.”

The proposed constitutional amendment would allow lawmakers to temporarily bypass a bipartisan commission and redraw congressional districts in their favor. The measure would still need to pass the General Assembly again next year and then go before voters in a statewide referendum.

These developments come as Virginia holds statewide elections on Tuesday, where all 100 seats in the House of Delegates will be voted on. Democrats will need to maintain their narrow majority in the House of Representatives to advance the constitutional amendment next year.

Republican Sen. Mark Obenshain said Democrats are ignoring the will of voters who overwhelmingly approved the bipartisan redistricting commission.

“God forbid we link arms and work together on something,” Obenshain said. “What Virginia voters said is: ‘We expect redistricting to be an issue that we work on across the aisle, and come together on.’”

He watches: ‘Stop the madness’: Texas Democrat urges GOP to end redistricting battle

But Democratic Sen. Schuyler VanValkenburg, who has long championed the state’s bipartisan redistricting commission, noted that the commission would still be responsible for redistricting after the 2030 census.

“We are not trying to end the practice of fair mapping,” he said. “We are asking voters whether, in this limited case, they want to ensure that a president who violates constitutional rules cannot upend an entire national election by arm-twisting a few state legislatures.”

Lieb reported from Jefferson City, Missouri. Solforo of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Diaz is from Richmond, Virginia. Diaz is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.