Monday, November 7, 2011

November 4

Ohio GOP sets congressional district map vote with uncertain outcome

By Julie Carr Smyth
Associated Press
COLUMBUS: A state lawmaker from Youngstown says Democrats will stick together and oppose a revised map of Ohio congressional districts that’s scheduled for a vote Thursday in the Republican-led Ohio House.
Rep. Robert Hagan said Democrats received an email Wednesday night from their chief of staff indicating the GOP does not have the votes to pass the new map.
Hagan called the special session called by Republican House Speaker William Batchelder “a useless exercise.” Democrats have launched a petition drive aimed at getting the current map repealed on the 2012 ballot, claiming it’s gerrymandered to favor the GOP.
Batchelder planned a news conference at noon to unveil a new map, which will be attached to language reinstating a single 2012 primary in the state. Lawmakers last month split the primary, moving presidential and U.S. House races to June to allow more time to work out a compromise with Democrats.
http://www.ohio.com/news/break-news/ohio-gop-sets-congressional-district-map-vote-with-uncertain-outcome-1.243530

Ohio Democrats block vote on new GOP-proposed congressional map

By Julie Carr Smyth
Associated Press
COLUMBUS: Ohio Republicans failed in an effort Thursday to bring a second congressional map up for a vote as they sought to defuse Democratic opposition to the state’s recently adopted map.
At one point, shouting erupted on the Ohio House floor over who fairly should represent the battleground state in Washington.
Earlier in the day, House Speaker William Batchelder released a revised plan for the state’s U.S. House districts, saying it was fairer to Democrats and he hoped it would garner support from Democratic legislators.
Batchelder, R-Medina, said his goal was to give Democrats a chance to support a congressional map with cleaner lines, more compact districts and better representation for blacks. His proposal also reinstated a single 2012 primary, something that would benefit both parties and save the state about $15 million.
http://www.ohio.com/news/local-news/ohio-democrats-block-vote-on-new-gop-proposed-congressional-map-1.243579

Redistricting talks dissolve in rancor

GOP’s changes to congressional map fail to satisfy House Democrats

The Columbus Dispatch Friday November 4, 2011 8:49 AM
Nearly two weeks of negotiations over a congressional map revised in a bid to halt a Democratic referendum effort ended with a thud yesterday, as a brief shouting match broke out in the House chamber among members debating a redistricting bill that was never brought up for a vote.
Democrats declined to go along with the revised map, which Minority Leader Armond Budish said made insignificant changes to the districts Republicans passed in September — a map that Democrats are working to overturn on the November 2012 ballot because, they argue, it is gerrymandered to give the GOP a solid chance to hold 12 of the 16 seats.
The House fell eight votes short yesterday of the 66 needed to suspend the rules and bring the map up for a vote without a committee hearing. The bill itself also would have needed the same two-thirds vote to pass as an emergency measure, which would have ended the Democrats’ attempt to overturn the Republican map and allowed the current split 2012 primary to be moved entirely to March. Having just a single primary would save the state $15 million.
http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2011/11/04/redistricting-talks-dissolve-in-rancor.html

House Republicans will try to bring a new congressional map to the floor for a vote today but if it fails to garner enough support from Democrats, negotiations will continue, said House Speaker William Batchelder, R-Medina.
Batchelder, who has 59 Republicans in his caucus, needs 66 votes to pass a bill with an emergency clause.
Eventually, if the two sides fail to reach agreement, House Republicans may pass an even more partisan map and let the bill take effect in 90 days, which requires a simple majority, he said.
http://www.daytondailynews.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/ohiopolitics/entries/2011/11/03/revised_congressional_map_up_f.html

New Ohio map fails to garner Democrats’ votes

GOP will hold hearing on redistricting Monday.

By Laura A. Bischoff, Columbus Bureau 12:20 AM Friday, November 4, 2011

COLUMBUS — A GOP-redrawn congressional district map wasn’t tweaked enough to appeal to Democrats, and now House Republicans will schedule committee hearings to try to head off a costly referendum fight, two primary elections and a whole lot of uncertainty over how Ohio will elect its 16 congressional seats next year.
In a brief but feisty session Thursday, House Speaker William Batchelder, R-Medina, failed to get the 66 required votes to suspend the rules governing when a bill may be brought up for a floor vote.
The House is split with 59 Republicans and 40 Democrats. Unless at least seven Democrats vote on his side, Batchelder cannot suspend the rules or pass a bill as an emergency.
http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/election/new-ohio-map-fails-to-garner-democrats-votes-1279424.html

Ohio House Speaker Batchelder unveils new congressional map set for afternoon vote

Published: Thursday, November 03, 2011, 1:21 PM     Updated: Thursday, November 03, 2011, 2:27 PM

COLUMBUS, Ohio - House Speaker William G. Batchelder, a Medina Republican, unveiled the  new congressional map that House members are scheduled to vote on later today.
The new map, which is designed to attract Democratic votes, draws urban areas in Toledo, Columbus, Dayton and Cincinnati together and bumps up the percentage of black voters in a new Democratic district created in Franklin County.
By moving more urban voters in Toledo into a Democratic district where U.S. House Rep. Marcy Kaptur and U.S. House Rep. Dennis Kucinich are set to square off, the new map appears to benefit Kaptur.
http://www.cleveland.com/open/index.ssf/2011/11/speaker_batchelder_unveils_new.html

New congressional map rolled out: Kucinich on the outs, Democrats balk at quick vote

Published: Thursday, November 03, 2011, 8:00 PM     Updated: Friday, November 04, 2011, 12:16 AM

COLUMBUS, Ohio — A revised congressional map unveiled Thursday by Ohio House Republicans squeezes Cleveland congressman Dennis Kucinich by dropping more than 90,000 Lucas County voters into a solidly Democratic Lake Erie district so that it now appears to favor Toledo Rep. Marcy Kaptur.
The shift in that district -- where Democrats Kucinich and Kaptur are pitted against one another -- was one of the new story lines as a Republican bid to gain Democratic support for an alternative congressional map blew up on the House floor during a fiery session marked by angry accusations and gaveled-down remarks.
When the dust cleared and both sides had climbed out of the ring, the 99 House members were no closer to a deal on a new congressional map, and confusion about next year's elections continued to reign.
http://www.cleveland.com/open/index.ssf/2011/11/new_congressional_map_rolled_o.html

George Forbes surprised black state lawmakers did not accept new congressional map

Published: Thursday, November 03, 2011, 7:40 PM     Updated: Thursday, November 03, 2011, 7:42 PM

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Cleveland NAACP president George Forbes was stunned that black legislators on Thursday failed to support a newly introduced congressional map that he said was drawn to the specs they requested.
Forbes, a longtime local and statewide political figure, said he worked with his counterpart Republican consultant Bob Bennett to offer advice on the new congressional map after Republicans sought out black lawmakers for help in settling the dispute over the map.
"Everything the blacks asked for (Republicans) gave them. So I was kind of surprised to hear everything was falling apart," Forbes told The Plain Dealer.
http://www.cleveland.com/open/index.ssf/2011/11/george_forbes_surprised_black.html


10:42 am, Nov 3, 2011 | Written by pkostyu
Whether Ohio will have a new congressional map or stick with the one passed in September may come out of a meeting at noon today between Ohio House Speaker William G. Batchelder, R-Medina, his right-hand man state Rep. Louis R. Blessing Jr., R-Colerain Twp., and the press. Cameras are banned from the event.
Batchelder had called for the House to vote this afternoon on a new map that his spokesman said addressed the needs of Democrats. Batchelder and his leadership team have been negotiating for days with Democrats, primarily with the House Legislative Black Caucus, to get a map that will avoid a referendum challenge that could possibly throw the boundaries of Ohio’s congressional districts into a federal court.
http://cincinnati.com/blogs/politics/2011/11/03/new-map-subject-of-batchelder-blessing-meeting-with-press/

Map vote prompts walk-out on House floor
3:11 PM, Nov. 3, 2011 

Written by
Cincinnati Enquirer

A meeting of the Ohio House Thursday to settle a dispute over a new congressional district map brought bickering, chaos and even a walk-out by Southwest Ohio Republicans – but no decision on a new map.

The result: Ohioans still don’t know what congressional districts they live in, or who they can vote for – or against – in 2012. And the state is scheduled to have two primaries, costing taxpayers at least $15 million.
http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20111103/NEWS0108/311030154/Map-vote-prompts-walk-out-House-floor

Published: 11/4/2011

Dems block attempt to vote on latest map

Several stymied Republicans leave in protest

BY JIM PROVANCE
BLADE COLUMBUS BUREAU CHIEF
COLUMBUS — Tempers flared on the Ohio House floor and several Republicans walked out of the chamber Thursday as an attempt to bring a new GOP-drawn congressional map to an immediate vote was blocked by Democrats.
"These lies shouldn't be allowed on the floor!" shouted Rep. Lynn Wachtmann (R., Napoleon) as Democratic leader Armond Budish (D., Beachwood) launched into criticism that the map doesn't go far enough to address his concerns.
Republicans needed a super-majority of 66 votes in the 99-member chamber just to bring the bill to the floor after it had just been introduced earlier in the day. It fell short, 58-34.
http://www.toledoblade.com/Politics/2011/11/04/Dems-block-attempt-to-vote-on-latest-map.html



 

Ohio GOP blocked from congressional-map vote, Dems walk out


Published: Fri, November 4, 2011 @ 12:10 a.m.
COLUMBUS
An attempt by House Republicans to move a new congressional redistricting plan failed to gain sufficient Democratic support for a vote Thursday but did prompt a lawmaker walkout and shouting matches when opponents attempted floor speeches on the issue.
The new GOP-drawn plan will instead head to committee hearings next week and further behind-closed-door negotiations as the two parties attempt to reach an agreement to stop a referendum from reaching the November 2012 ballot and potentially forcing a federal court to draw the state’s district lines.
House Speaker Bill Batchelder, a Republican from Medina, said his majority party ultimately will move a new map, whether Democrats agree to the changes or not.
http://www.vindy.com/news/2011/nov/04/ohio-gop-blocked-from-congressional-map-/

New congressional map falls short of advancing

By Robert Wang

Posted Nov 03, 2011 @ 08:37 PM
Last update Nov 04, 2011 @ 12:08 AM
State Rep. Kirk Schuring, R-Jackson Township voted Thursday to bring up for immediate consideration a new congressional redistricting bill that still would have divided Stark County among three congressional districts.

Ohio House Republicans fell four votes short of the 2/3rds vote majority needed to advance the bill to the floor without committee review. The 58-34 vote was along party lines with State Rep. Christina Hagan, R-Marlboro Township, voting “yes,” and Democratic state representatives Stephen Slesnick of Canton and Mark Okey of Carrollton voting “no.”

 Schuring indicated that to avoid electoral chaos in 2012, he’s open to voting for the bill if it comes to the floor even though it sets the same congressional district lines for Stark County as another bill Schuring opposed in September that the legislature approved.
http://www.cantonrep.com/newsnow/x1760393263/New-congressional-map-falls-short-of-advancing

Ohio House falls short on votes to move tweaked Ohio Congressional District maps

John Michael Spinelli

Columbus Government Examiner
November 4, 2011

COLUMBUS, Ohio (CGE) - Ohio House Rule 115 stipulates that a two-thirds vote of all the members present is needed to suspend virtually all House Rules. Trying to bring a new congressional map to the floor for a vote Thursday, House Republicans, who normally can control the activity on the House floor on any measure because they outnumber Democrats 59-40, fell four votes short of the number needed to push through tweaks to their proposal to establish new Congressional and state legislative districts for the next decade.

Had all 99 Members been present, the threshold vote would have been 66, but since not all members were present, the number needed was reduced to 62. In any event, the final vote of 58-34 keeps the issue in play for another day.
http://www.examiner.com/government-in-columbus/ohio-house-falls-short-on-votes-to-move-tweaked-ohio-congressional-district-maps

Ohio House called back for congressional map vote

By Julie Carr Smyth
Associated Press
Ohio House called back for congressional map vote November 03,2011 03:22 AM GMT Julie Carr Smyth
COLUMBUS: The Ohio House will return to Columbus today to vote on a revised congressional map that the chamber’s Republican leader says will address the concerns of Democrats, who have been seeking a repeal of a newly adopted map they say unfairly favors the GOP.
The compromise plan also would reinstitute a single primary in 2012, rather than separate March and June contests lawmakers had approved.
House Speaker William Batchelder’s spokesman, Mike Dittoe, said Wednesday it was unclear whether there would be enough votes to pass the new map, but the speaker felt the time had come.
“The speaker believes the new map is responsive to their requests that they have made over the last several weeks,” Dittoe said. “He believes that, given that and given the situation we’re in, he wants to bring it to an up-or-down vote.”
http://www.ohio.com/news/local-news/ohio-house-called-back-for-congressional-map-vote-1.243440

GOP seeks votes for a new redistricting map

Tally in House today may lack enough support from Democrats

The Columbus Dispatch Thursday November 3, 2011 7:19 AM
Ohio House Republicans say they will move ahead today with an attempt to pass a revised congressional district map. There is no indication, however, that Democrats will provide the votes needed to pass it as an emergency measure and thus avoid a contentious effort to overturn the GOP’s initial map on the November 2012 ballot.
Speaker William G. Batchelder, R-Medina, called an afternoon voting session, setting a potential endpoint for negotiations that he has been holding with Democratic lawmakers, particularly members of the Legislative Black Caucus, on a revised congressional map.
http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2011/11/03/gop-seeks-votes-for-a-new-map.html


 

House to vote today on new redistricting plan

By William Hershey, Staff Writer 11:24 PM Wednesday, November 2, 2011
COLUMBUS – Speaker William Batchelder has called the Ohio House into session at 2 p.m. today in a last-ditch effort to win approval of a new map for 16 U.S. House districts and avoid a contentious November 2012 referendum on redistricting.
“We believe that by tomorrow we will have a map that the Speaker believes responds to the requests of the minority (Democratic) caucus and that that map deserves an up or down vote,” Dittoe said Wednesday.
He declined to predict, however, that there would be enough votes to pass a new map as an emergency and avoid a referendum.
http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/politics/house-to-vote-today-on-new-redistricting-plan-1278813.html

Ohio House Republicans plan Thursday vote on new congressional map without deal with Democrats

Published: Wednesday, November 02, 2011, 10:00 PM

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Without a deal in place with Democrats, Ohio House Republicans said Wednesday they nonetheless plan to vote Thursday on a revised congressional map.
Mike Dittoe, spokesman for House Speaker William G. Batchelder, said the new map incorporates Democratic suggestions and deserves a chance to be voted on by the House at 2 p.m.
"The Speaker believes he has been responsive to those requests from the minority caucus and thus believes it deserves an up or down vote," Dittoe said. However, Dittoe said, "I'm not aware and certainly don't believe there is a deal on the table."
Dittoe said the new map would draw urban areas together and create more compact and competitive districts. He also said the new legislation would "unify" Ohio's primaries by eliminating a June primary for presidential and congressional candidates next year that Republicans just recently created at a potential cost of $15 million. Only one primary election would be held, on March 6.
http://www.cleveland.com/open/index.ssf/2011/11/republicans_planning_thursday.html


Published: 11/3/2011

Vote set for revised Ohio districts

Plan splits Toledo in half; Lucas Co. cut from Jordan's territory

BY JIM PROVANCE
BLADE COLUMBUS BUREAU CHIEF
COLUMBUS -- House Republicans have scheduled a vote on a new congressional map for Thursday, but Democrats insist there is no deal to break an impasse.
Speaker Bill Batchelder (R., Medina) "has been working with members of the minority caucus in both the House and Senate on a revised congressional map," said House GOP spokesman Mike Dittoe. "The speaker believes this new map … is responsive to most, if not all, of the minority's requests. He believes it deserves an up or down vote."
The bill is also expected to restore a March, 2012, presidential primary election. Citing the uncertainty surrounding congressional district lines, Republicans had previously voted to split next year's primary into two with state, local, and U.S. Senate elections held in March, but with races for President, Congress, and political party delegates delayed until June.
House Dems Reject New GOP Congressional Map; Compromise in Doubt
Hannah Report 11/3/11

A compromise on congressional redistricting was put in doubt Thursday as Republicans introduced a new congressional map and tempers flared on the House floor after the map failed to clear a procedural vote to begin debate.

The new map was unveiled around noon Thursday when House Speaker William Batchelder (R-Medina) and members of his leadership team held a press conference to discuss where negotiations with Democrats stood.

The new map, which was brought to the floor as HB369 (Huffman), is similar to the map adopted by the General Assembly under HB319 (Huffman), a bill Democrats are now seeking to put to a referendum. Lines on the new map were altered to make some districts more compact, and some urban areas were redrawn to put more of the African American voting population back together. Among the bigger changes: Toledo is split among two districts instead of three, all of Montgomery County is a part of the 10th District, the 4th District now stretches to Lorain County, and the 15th District has become more compact.

Batchelder said the map was drawn to reflect concerns brought to him by Democrats and members of the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus during negotiations.
http://www.hannah.com/DesktopDefaultPublic.aspx?type=hns&id=187638



Batchelder Suggests Parts of SB5 May Be Revived if Issue 2 Fails
Hannah Report

House Speaker William Batchelder (R-Medina) told reporters Thursday that he doesn't expect the General Assembly to immediately reenact collective bargaining law SB5 (Jones) if it should fail on Tuesday, but suggested that some parts may be revisited next year.

Batchelder said that the polling for the "yes" side of Issue 2, the referendum on SB5, has been very thorough and they know which parts of the bill are popular and which are not.
http://www.hannah.com/DesktopDefaultPublic.aspx?type=hns&id=187642




 
GOP PLAN TO VOTE ON NEW CONGRESSIONAL MAP FAILS IN HOUSE
Gongwer 11/3/11
Republicans' latest effort to get Democratic support to pass a fast-tracked rewrite of their congressional redistricting plan died Thursday after a short but combative House session.
The House voted 58-34 to suspend constitutional requirements to consider the new map (HB 369 ), coming up shy of the 66 votes needed to take up the measure that was introduced minutes earlier. (Roll Call)
Republicans said the revised map would divide fewer counties and increase the minority voting population of districts in Columbus, Toledo, Cincinnati, and Dayton.
http://www.gongwer-oh.com/programming/news_articledisplay.cfm?article_ID=802130201&newsedition_id=8021302&locid=2

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