Trending
U.S. Rep. Bob Gibbs, R-Ohio, made a surprise announcement earlier this month as he declared he was retiring because of "the circus" over the redrawing of Ohio's congressional district maps.
Gibbs has been in office since 2013. He bemoaned how his new district looks on the proposed maps. He complained about the length of time the Ohio Supreme Court has spent deliberating; and that "almost 90% of the electorate" in the new 7th District where he would be required to run is new, with nearly two-thirds drawn in from another district "foreign to any expectations or connection" to the district he now serves.
He's absolutely right. The process has been a mess, and Gibbs' district has been reworked apparently to accommodate others. Residents in this area can understand with how the 6th Congressional District has been reworked over the years.
Gibbs' retirement should serve as a signal to members of the Redistricting Commission that they have shot in the foot the party they are accused of trying to favor. Bibbs' choice of "circus" to describe the manner in which the commission has handled this process is spot on.