OPN Sept. 25 send: Redistricting

As always, I’m more than happy to take questions, tips, or concerns. I can be reached at Avery.Kreemer@coxinc.com or on X at @AveryKreemer.

• The story: Ohio Democrats defended a proposed redistricting update this week that would create eight Republican congressional districts and seven Democratic districts through 2030.

• Debate: Much of this week’s debate centered around a map “unduly” favoring one party over the other.

• Democrat view: Democrats argued that the state’s current maps, which produced a 10-to-5 congressional advantage for Republicans in the last two election cycles, disproportionately favor the GOP. They say Ohioans, on average, have split their vote 55%-to-45% in statewide, partisan elections over the past decade.

• Quote: “This is an eight-to-seven state, and we should have congressional maps that reflect that,” said House Minority Leader Dani Isaacsohn, D-Cincinnati, who had the first at-bat of the redistricting season. “Because, when we have competitive districts, voters get to choose their candidates. They get to have people vie for their vote, and we end up with policies that reflect the will of where most voters are.”

• Republican view: Republicans, meanwhile, suggested the Democrats’ proposal works backwards, by aiming to draw the congressional boundary lines in a specific way as to reduce the minority party’s current disadvantage.

• Quote: “It really sounds like the overriding goal of your map is just to engineer, artificially, more seats that Democrats can win,” Rep. Brian Stewart, R-Ashville, said to Isaacsohn. “How is that not the textbook definition of gerrymandering?”

• More to come: It’s unlikely the legislature will meet its deadline of passing a bipartisan map before the end of the month, which means a seven-member, GOP-controlled commission will have the next month to come up with its own bipartisan plan.

• The story: An Ohio House committee began vetting a bill this week that would require all courts in the state to consider a person’s immigration status during sentencing.

• Message: Rep. Josh Williams, R-Sylvania, told the House Judiciary Committee Wednesday that House Bill 282 — which he expects to be contentious — would set a standard in Ohio.

• Quote: “If you are going to come here, under our good will of allowing you to come to this great nation and participate in our society, if you violate the laws that are clearly written, we’re going to punish you harshly or we’re going to give you substantial bail conditions to make sure you come to court so you can stand justice. Because, if you were not present in this country, that crime would not have occurred,” he said.

• The bill: H.B. 282 would direct judges to consider a person’s immigration status in determining sentencing, probation and bail. Today, judges have the individual discretion — but not a mandate — to consider immigration status if they deem it to be relevant.

• “A lot of problems”: The bill was met with opposition from the committee’s Democrats, who questioned whether the proposal was enforceable, given the federal government’s exclusive jurisdiction over immigration enforcement, and argued the bill would go against the U.S. Constitution’s equal protection clause.

• Here’s my full story on the bill.

• Taser: Springfield Police Division Chief Allison Elliott released a statement Tuesday asking the community to be patient while the state completes its investigation of an incident where a man was shocked with a Taser before dying in the hospital. Here’s Jessica Orozco.

• Scandal: Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost filed a complaint this week to remove Miami Twp. Fiscal Officer Bob Matthews from his elected position due to his connection to a gold coin scandal. Kristen Spicker and Eric Schwartzberg have the story.

• Late night: Jimmy Kimmel’s return to late night wasn’t shown by Dayton’s ABC affiliate following the comedian’s comments about the fallout of the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Russell Florence Jr. has the story.

• Absenteeism: Chronic absenteeism improved last school year across Ohio, according to the latest report card data from the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, but one in four Ohio students are still missing a large chunk of the school year. Here’s Eileen McClory.

• Playcall: Ohio Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel announced he will not seek to become Ohio’s governor in 2026, ending speculation of the former football coach’s higher political ambition at the moment. WCPO has the story.

• Medicaid block: While it hasn’t closed any abortion clinics, Planned Parenthood officials say a federal move to cut off Medicaid funding to their health clinics is exacerbating an already-low level of access low-income Ohioans have to preventative care. Here’s my story.

• Space Force: The Space Intelligence Production Cell at the Springfield-Beckley Air National Guard Base — which will have a ceremonial ribbon-cutting Friday — will be on the front line of informing national leaders of what’s happening in space, an area of ever-growing significance in national defense. Here’s Thomas Gnau.

• Acquisitions: A recent memo from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth proposes a sweeping reorganization of defense acquisition work that would establish a new four-star general overseeing that work while moving new acquisition teams to the Pentagon. Thomas Gnau has the story.