The redistricting process was formally begun by a legislative panel on June 16, 2011.[1] A proposal released in September 2011 would create 12 districts favoring Republicans and four which favored Democrats. In the proposal, one district which favored Republicans would be effectively eliminated, and the homes of six of the state's incumbents would be drawn into districts also containing the homes of other incumbents.[2] The map was passed by the Ohio House of Representatives on September 15[3] and by the Ohio Senate on September 21. The bill passed by the Senate included an appropriations provision intended to prevent the bill from being placed on the 2012 ballot by petition[4] and was passed again by the House the same day.[5]GovernorJohn Kasich signed the bill into law on September 26.[6]
On September 28, the Ohio Democratic Party had filed suit in the Ohio Supreme Court, seeking a ruling on the legality of the Senate's addition of an appropriations provision.[7] On October 14, the Supreme Court ruled that a referendum on the map could go ahead. Ohioans for Fair Districts, the group calling for a referendum, asked the court to restart the 90-day time limit for the collection of signatures;[8] a request the court declined, meaning the 90-day period would begin on September 26 rather than October 14.[9] Chris Redfern, the chair of the Ohio Democratic Party, vowed to collect enough signatures to place the map on the ballot.[10]
If the map had received 66 votes in the House of Representatives, an emergency clause preventing a referendum from being held would have been invoked. As a result, in October 2011 Republicans sought the support of African American Democrats for an alternative map.[11] Later that month members of the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus met with Redfern, indicating they would not immediately seek to compromise with Republicans;[12] however on October 31 Bob Bennett, the former chair of the Ohio Republican Party appointed by House SpeakerWilliam G. Batchelder to negotiate an alternative map, said he thought the two parties were close to reaching an agreement.[13]
On November 3, Batchelder brought a slightly modified map to the floor of the House of Representatives. However, the House fell eight votes short of the 66 needed to bring the map up for a vote without a committee hearing having been held.[14]
Later in November, Ohio Democratic Party communications directorSeth Bringman said the referendum effort had surpassed 100,000 signatures and aimed to have collected the over 230,000 signatures necessary by December 23.[15] However, a lack of funds prevented Ohioans for Fair Districts from hiring professional signature gatherers and necessitated the exclusive use of volunteers. Redfern said in December 2011 that Democrats might return to the Supreme Court to request that it reconsider its decision on the 90-day time limit. If the signature-gathering effort had failed, an amendment to the Ohio Constitution requiring compact and competitive districts could have been sought.[16] If the Democratic Party failed to collect enough signatures, the original map would have taken effect on Christmas Day 2011.[15]
On December 14, 2011, the House of Representatives and Senate both passed a new map, effectively resolving the situation.[17]
Jeff Sinnard defeated Malcolm Kantzler by a scant 56 votes for the Democratic nomination (the reference footnote 19 provides only the unofficial, election night final tally).[19] This was Kantzler's first run for public office, while Sinnard unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination in the 2nd district in 2005 and 2006.[18]State representativeConnie Pillich, who had considered seeking the Democratic nomination in either the 1st or 2nd district,[20] did not run.[21]
William R. Smith[18] won the Democratic primary[29] against David Krikorian, who challenged Schmidt in 2008 and 2010.[30] Krikorian said in October 2011 that if he did not receive the support of the Democratic Party he would run as an independent candidate[30] but did not. State representativeConnie Pillich, who had considered seeking the Democratic nomination in either the 1st or 2nd district,[20] did not run.[21]
Former U.S. Representative Charlie Wilson won the Democratic nomination.[19] He previously represented the 6th district from 2007 until 2011.[40] Wilson defeated Cas Adulewicz.[39]John Boccieri, who represented the 16th district from 2009 until 2011, did not run.[35][41][42]
Joyce R. Healy-Abrams, the sister of Canton mayor William J. Healy II, won the Democratic nomination.[19] Joseph Liolios had also planned to run, but failed to refile after the Ohio General Assembly modified some districts' boundaries and moved the date of the primary.[46]John Boccieri, who represented the 16th district from 2009 until 2011, will not run.[35][42]Political consultant Bill Burges suggested in September 2011 that Democratic U.S. Representative Betty Sutton, who has represented the 13th district since 2007, may seek re-election in the 7th district;[47] however in December 2011 she announced plans to run in the 16th district.[48]
Steven Kraus, an auctioneer;[45] and Samuel "Joe the Plumber" Wurzelbacher[54] both sought the Republican nomination; Wurzelbacher won.[55] Both Democratic and Republican primaries were held on March 6, 2012.
Republican U.S. Representative Mike Turner, who has represented Ohio's 3rd congressional district since 2003, sought re-election in the new 10th district in 2012.[56] John D. Anderson and Edward Breen also unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination.[19][57]Steve Austria, who is also a Republican and has represented the 7th district since 2009, had also been expected to run,[56] but announced in December 2011 that he would retire rather than seek re-election.[58]
Six candidates qualified for the ballot in the Democratic primary. Sharen Neuhardt won the March primary with a plurality of 36% of the vote.[59] She is an attorney and was the 2008 nominee for congress in Ohio's 7th congressional district, held by Republican Steve Austria. He defeated her 58%-42%[60] in a district McCain won 54%-45%. She underperformed Obama three points. However, this district McCain won 50%-49%.[61]
Ohio's 11th congressional district has been represented by Democrat Marcia Fudge since 2008. Fudge sought re-election in 2012.[45] Gerald Henley, a former member of the Clevelandschool board who unsuccessfully ran for the Cuyahoga County Council as an independent in 2010; Marie Jefferson; and Isaac Powell, who unsuccessfully challenged Fudge in the 2008 and 2010 Democratic primaries, unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination.[19][62] U.S. Representative Dennis Kucinich, who has represented the 10th district since 1997 and had considered seeking re-election in the 11th district, instead ran in the 9th district;[52] while state senatorNina Turner, who had planned to challenge Fudge in the Democratic primary, announced in December 2011 that she would not run. Turner considered run as an independent candidate, but instead elected to remain in the State Senate.[45]
Doug Litt, who is employed by Spherion Staffing at Gorman-Rupp and unsuccessfully ran for Congress in the 4th district in 2010;[64] and James Reese[63] sought the Democratic nomination. Reese won the nomination with nearly 70% of the vote.[19]
Democrat Betty Sutton, who has represented Ohio's 13th congressional district since 2007, sought re-election in the new 16th district in 2012.[48]Tim Ryan, who has represented the now-defunct 17th district since 2003, ran unopposed for the Democratic nomination in the new 13th district.[48] John Stephen Luchansky and Lisa Regula Meyer had also filed to seek the Democratic nomination, however both failed to refile after the Ohio General Assembly modified some districts' boundaries and moved the date of the primary.[65]
Pediatrician Marisha Agana ran unopposed for the Republican nomination.[45]
Republican Steve LaTourette, who had represented Ohio's 14th congressional district since 1995, was expected to seek re-election (and ran unopposed in the party primary),[45] but announced on July 31, 2012 that he was retiring at the end of the term. He officially withdrew from the ballot on August 8, allowing the party chairmen from the seven counties in the district to select a replacement nominee.[66]
Democratic U.S. Representative Betty Sutton, who had represented the 13th district since 2007, ran in the new 16th district in 2012.[48] Former U.S. Representative John Boccieri, a Democrat who represented the district from 2009 until 2011, did not run.[35][42]
Jeffrey Blevins, a restaurant manager who unsuccessfully ran as the Libertarian Party nominee in 2010, ran again[46] but withdrew on August 23, 2012.[73]