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Mapmaking for legislative districts in Ohio returns

Republicans on the Ohio Redistricting Commission drew a congressional map four years ago that they anticipated would give their political party a 12-3 advantage in the U.S. House over Democrats. Instead, two toss-up districts — one with Akron as its largest city and another with Toledo — went to Democrats in the 2022 and 2024 elections. Expect Republicans to make it harder for Democrats to maintain their slim advantages in those two districts when the lines are redrawn for the 2026 election. That Democrats were able to win those two toss-up seats as Ohio continues to trend more ...

Can Ohio Democrats compete next year?

In the past two election cycles, Ohioans backed Republicans for the U.S. Senate who had never before run for office. In 2022, voters chose Republican J.D. Vance, best known at the time for writing the best-selling “Hillbilly Elegy” book, over Democrat Tim Ryan, a 20-year congressman. Two years after Vance beat Ryan by 6.1%, Vance’s meteoric rise in politics continued as President-elect Donald Trump’s vice presidential running mate. In 10 days, Vance will be sworn in as the next vice president of the United States and is the current favorite to be the party’s presidential ...

Are you as safe as DC during a winter storm?

Washington, DC got nearly 10 inches of snow recently. That was more than enough to shut down the nation’s capital. Thankfully, all of DC’s lobbyists and politicos stayed safe at home. Their local utility, Pepco—which relies on natural gas and coal for roughly half of its power generation—supplied the electricity needed to keep everyone warm. But what about the rest of the country? Are they as safe as Washington? Not necessarily. The North American Electric Reliability Corp. (NERC)—which oversees the reliability and security of America’s bulk power system—believes the ...

A rough political road ahead for Sherrod Brown

For the first time in 32 years, Democrat Sherrod Brown no longer holds public office. If you go back 50 years, Brown was an elected official for 48 of them, starting as a state representative, first elected in 1974, and after eight years, he spent another eight as Ohio’s secretary of state. After losing reelection, Brown was out of elected office for two years before winning a U.S. House seat in 1992. With Ohio a solid Republican state, is there a place for a 72-year-old progressive-populist Democrat who has spent nearly all of his adult life as a politician? Brown said Dec. 17: ...

Ex-Rep Ryan still hears the siren call of politics

By his own account, Tim Ryan, a Democrat who represented the Mahoning Valley in the U.S. House for 20 years, has achieved his ideal professional-personal life balance. “I am so happy right now,” Ryan told me. “This is the happiest I’ve been personally and professionally in a long time so it’s hard to kind of change course.” Yet he still hears the siren call of politics. Ryan is making more money than he ever did as a lobbyist and working for a technology firm, gets to go on national television and write opinion pieces for Newsweek about his thoughts on politics. He has ...

Embracing the spirit of Hospice volunteering within Columbiana, Mahoning and Trumbull counties

The holiday season is a time for reflection, gratitude, and generosity. As the lights twinkle and carols fill the air, we are reminded of the importance of human connection and the joy that comes from giving to others. In this season of giving, there’s no better way to embody the true spirit of Christmas than by becoming a hospice volunteer. And as the New Year approaches, volunteering in hospice care can be a meaningful resolution—one that transforms not only the lives of others but also your own. Spreading Holiday Comfort and Joy For many hospice patients, the holidays can be a ...