In response to today’s press conference by Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Chris Redfern, Speaker of the Ohio House William G. Batchelder (R-Medina) issued the following statement:

“Once again, I am compelled to remind the chairman of the Ohio Democratic Party that Democratic members of the House and Senate voted in favor of the Congressional map in House Bill 319. Unquestionably, this fair and legal map meets and exceeds state and federal requirements for congressional redistricting.


“Chairman Redfern seems intent on misleading the public about the map that was adopted by the General Assembly. By his actions, Chairman Redfern clearly opposes:


• Creating a new, heavily Democrat-leaning seat in Franklin County;
• Protecting a majority-minority seat in Cuyahoga and Summit counties;
• Drawing two incumbent Democrats together and two incumbent Republicans together – a fair scenario for each party – upon Ohio’s loss of two Congressional seats;
• Drawing a third-term Democrat incumbent into the same seat as a Republican who has been in office for ten months to create a heavily Democrat-leaning district in Franklin County. In House Bill 319, Republicans went out of their way to protect a minority seat in addition to adding a seat that can be won by a minority.


“Despite innuendo otherwise, House Republicans are continuing to work with the elected Republican and Democrat members of both houses of the General Assembly, and I am delighted to continue working with them. It is my hope that deliberations will continue in the coming days.”