Oberlin
Redistricted Out of Sherrod Browns Domain
by William Singer
The
city of Oberlin will now fall outside the congressional district
of Rep. Sherrod Brown, under a new plan drafted and approved by
the Ohio legislature and signed into law by the Governor.
The plan will redraw the lines that split Lorain County between
congressional districts. Lorain and Elyria will remain in Rep. Browns
9th District, while Vermillion, Amherst, Oberlin and Wellington
become part of Rep. Marcy Kapturs 13th District.
Kaptur, a native of Toledo currently serving her tenth term in the
House, has more seniority than any other Democratic woman in the
107th Congress. A longtime member of the powerful House Appropriations
Committee, she is now the ranking Democrat on the subcommittee on
Agriculture Appropriations, which exercises budget control over
the Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Rep. Kaptur was first elected to the House in 1982, beating an opponent
who spent three times more money on the campaign than she did. Recently,
she has easily carried her district on election day, winning 67
percent of the vote in 1998 and 70 perent in 2000.
Steve Fought, legislative director for Rep. Kaptur, says that the
Congresswoman reacted with mixed emotions upon learning
of her new district. She will no longer represent some areas around
Toledo, including heavily Republican Fulton County, where she had
worked especially hard over the years to win votes and respect.
But Kaptur also notices the positive potential of the changes. For
example, she plans to be a stronger advocate of the environmental
health of Lake Erie, now that her district spans 70 miles of its
coastline.
In a Jan. 27 article in the Lorain Journal, Kaptur singled out Oberlin
among the rest of her new territory as a town she would enthusiastically
represent. It makes me very proud and excited that I know
I have the opportunity to win the votes of constituents in that
city, which has always been ahead of its time, she told the
paper.
Fought dispelled the idea that Kaptur would remain chiefly concerned
with issues in Toledo and northwest Ohio, the area she has represented
for two decades. Number one, it doesnt matter how far
they are from Toledo; Marcy takes care of her constituents,
he said. Lorain County holds 11 percent of the residents in the
new 9th District, whereas it made up more than half of the old 13th
District.
Congressional districts in every state are adjusted to evenly distribute
seats in the House of Representatives after the completion of each
Census. Barring a successful challenge in state court, the new boundaries
will officially take effect on Jan. 1, 2003. The results of congressional
races held this November will decide who represents the redrawn
districts.
Although Brown will no longer be Oberlins representative,
he predicted that redistricting would not end his close relationship
with the school. I will continue involvement with the College,
he said, such as a recent talk on moving environmental legislation
through the Congress. But Im sad about losing Oberlin,
he added, because the community is one of the most progressive in
Northeast Ohio.
Ronald Kahn, James Monroe Professor of Politics, believes that the
changes in political geography will not adversely affect Oberlins
interests. [Brown] is still in the Congress and Im sure
hell still be a good friend of the College and civil liberties,
he said. I dont think were completely losing him.
In addition, Fought suggested that some of Kapturs positions,
like her concern for American and foreign workers, may make her
a good match with Oberlin. Kaptur said in a press release, The current
American way of globalization and trade
is not the way of freedom
and democracy, but of corporate greed and executives who gild their
own lives on the backs of millions who live in misery, who are forced
to watch their children starve.
Rep. Kaptur is also pleased with the Houses recent passage
of the Shays-Meehan Bill, which is similar to a bill that has already
passed the Senate. She was fighting [for campaign finance
reform legislation] before it was popular, Fought said. The
system right now is designed [for] people with power and money.
Brown predicted that Kaptur will represent her new constituents
well. I think they will like her and respect her, he
said.
Although his district has been changed, Brown said he absolutely
intends, until the new boundaries take effect, to remain the congressman
for the 13th District. He has already filed forms to run for re-
election this November.
Like many others, Matthew Kaplan, president of the OC Democrats,
has reacted to redistricting with optimism, as well as positve memories.
Sherrod is such a friendly and open congressman, always willing
to come to Oberlin to speak and listen to his constituents,
he said. Even though Sherrod will be sorely missed, I very
much look forward [to] dealing with Marcy Kaptur in the future.
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