With Texas’s redistricting showdown nearing its end, Republicans are already setting their sights on Ohio. Lawmakers in the Buckeye State are preparing a high-stakes congressional map redraw that could net the GOP up to three additional House seats ahead of the 2026 midterms.
Unlike in Texas, where Democrats staged dramatic walkouts to slow GOP efforts, Ohio Democrats face far steeper odds. With Republicans holding a supermajority in the state legislature, Democrats cannot block quorum, leaving the GOP free to advance a partisan map.
The redistricting process is layered: if bipartisan agreement fails, control shifts to a seven-member commission. If that commission reaches a deadlock, the map returns to the legislature, where Republicans can impose their design with a simple majority — a scenario political insiders say is almost certain.
Ohio Republican leaders argue the new maps should reflect the state’s shifting political landscape. “Ohio is moving right and red, rapidly,” said GOP Committeeman Tony Schroeder. “That’s going to be reflected in the design of the new maps.”
Democrats, however, vow to resist. Inspired by Texas lawmakers’ defiance, Ohio Democrats are preparing to push back — though their options are more limited. “It’s a fight that we know how to fight, and it’s a fight that we’re ready to fight again,” said Democratic state Rep. Tristan Rader.
If Republicans succeed, Ohio could deliver the GOP three additional congressional seats, potentially tipping the balance in the 2026 midterms as the national battle for control of the House heats up.
