In a Columbus news conference this morning, Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Chris Redfern slammed the congressional redistricting map proposed by state Republicans.
"...This map was drawn behind closed doors, by Republicans, for Republicans," Redfern said. "It is a disservice to voters, because voters deserve fair and competitive elections. It breaks apart communities of interest. And let’s be honest: It looks silly."
Under the GOP proposal, which is set for a vote on the House floor today, Athens County would be split between two congressional districts as it has in the past.
All but two Athens County townships would be in the same district.
The two outliers, located in the 6th Congressional District, are Carthage and Troy townships. Last year, Carthage and Troy voted for Republican candidate John Kasich, but the three townships that border them voted for Democrat Ted Strickland.
"Take the proposed district that was drawn to favor Congressman Steve Stivers. We’re calling its shape a ‘reverse Pac-Man.’ It holds together communities of interest like Upper Arlington and Vinton County. Pardon my sarcasm." Redfern added. "To drive from Northern Union County to Athens to Hillsboro without leaving Stivers’ district, you’d find yourself on the road for as long as it would take to drive from Columbus to Niagara Falls..."
If the proposal were passed, Carthage and Troy would stay in a district that elected Rep. Bill Johnson, R-6th, to Washington, D.C., but the rest of Athens County would join or stay in a district that elected Rep. Bob Gibbs, R-18th.
Athens County GOP chairman Pete Pete Couladis, however, is not totally satisfied with the proposal because it would splinter the county into multiple districts.
“I would have preferred to have the county intact and not so scattered around,” he told The Post earliler this week. “I’m hoping it will be in one district as much as possible.”
