Ohio lawmakers pass new congressional district map

Amid Democratic complaints of gerrymandering, Republicans in the Ohio House of Representatives approved a new congressional district map yesterday.

Why it matters: Thursday's vote is the latest important step in a lengthy process to shape Ohio's political representation in Washington, D.C.

Driving the news: The GOP-drawn map was publicly introduced on Monday, with the Ohio Senate approving it just a day later.

• The House vote sends the map to Republican Gov. Mike DeWine's desk for a signature.
• DeWine's office did not respond to Axios' request for comment.

State of play: No Democrats supported the map, meaning it will be in effect for just the 2022 and 2024 election cycles (rather than a full 10 years for a bipartisan map).

Between the lines: Analysis by Dave's Redistricting shows it would likely have six safe Republican seats, two safe Democratic seats and seven other districts considered to be "competitive."

• Republicans could win up to 13 seats — 87% of those in play — in a favorable election year.
• Ohio Republican congressional candidates have won 56% of the vote over the past five election cycles.

Context: This mapmaking process for federal districts in Congress is separate from the process undertaken earlier this fall to redraw Statehouse districts for lawmakers serving in Columbus.

• Those new maps —for the Ohio Senate and Ohio House of Representatives — were also approved without bipartisan support and will be in effect for four years, pending the outcome of a legal challenge being heard by the Ohio Supreme Court.

The bottom line: Ohio voters overwhelmingly approved reforms in 2015 and 2018 in an effort to make the redistricting process more bipartisan.

• This first attempt under the new system did not achieve that goal.