Youngstown Vindicator...
Dems aren’t cowed by GOP  
October 30, 2011 

Ohio Republican officials are learning Democrats can be pushed only so far. 

Elected Democrats on the state level could qualify for membership on the endangered species list. But when Democrats want to be, they can be feisty as African wild dogs. 

Republicans hold every elected executive office in the state, and control the Ohio House and Senate. Also, six of the seven Ohio Supreme Court justices are Republicans. 

Earlier this year, Republicans passed Senate Bill 5, which restricts collective-bargaining rights for public employees. Even though they make up a minority of elected officeholders in the state, Democrats, and labor unions, gathered enough signatures to place the bill up for a repeal vote on the Nov. 8 ballot. 

Potential loss 

Polls show Issue 2 losing by a large margin. If that happens, it will be a major embarrassment for Republicans. 

Democrats also challenged the Republicans’ redrawn congressional-district map that heavily favors the GOP. 

Of the 16 districts, only two are competitive, and both lean Republican. Republicans drew 12 of the remaining districts to heavily favor their candidates with four strong Democratic districts. 

Currently, there are 13 Republicans and five Democrats in the U.S. House from Ohio. 

The state is losing two of its current 18 congressional districts because Ohio’s population didn’t keep pace with the rest of the country. Republicans contend they were fair by reducing each political party by one congressional district. Democrats say the map is gerrymandered. 

Lawsuit 

Democrats filed suit with the Ohio Supreme Court seeking to have the congressional map be subject to a voter referendum on the November 2012 ballot. In somewhat of a surprise, the court agreed with the Democrats thus throwing the 2012 election into mass confusion. 

The state’s 2012 primary was to be held on March 6. That primary will still be held for all races except president and U.S. House of Representatives’ seats. The primary date for those exceptions is June 12, 2012. 

This was done by Republicans over the objections of Democrats. 

Republicans hope to work something out with Democrats, possibly cutting a deal with some members of that party’s black caucus, to avoid losing control of the congressional map. Republicans are considering an additional winnable Democratic district and making changes to a few others to make them less Republican, according to The Columbus Dispatch. 

Referendum 

Democratic officials are moving ahead with plans to gather signatures for a November 2012 referendum on the district lines. 

There’s going to be two primaries, unless something significant occurs. There are consequences to having two primaries. It will confuse voters and reduce turnout. Also, the Republican plan costs about $15 million. 

Ohio will still be a key battleground state in the presidential general election. But this change means Ohio won’t even qualify as an after-thought in the Republican primary election. Only Utah has a later GOP primary than Ohio. 

Unless bipartisanship occurs, and it hasn’t for years, we’ll continue to see the majority party push through legislation with the minority party challenging certain laws through referendums. 

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