By Rev. Donald L. Perryman, Ph.D.
The Truth Contributor
Politics is choosing.— Paul Valéry
I, for one, am not convinced that the redistricting deal the Democrats accepted— one which grants Republicans a nine percent structural advantage in the 9th Congressional District— was a caving in or a sellout. After all, reality is unforgiving of purity tests.
Yes, Ohio Democrats agreed to a compromise that shifted two districts somewhat toward the right. But as political analyst Nate Cohn notes: these changes “aren’t likely to yield the two new Republican districts that had been expected, let alone the three that conservatives wanted.” In other words, the deal was imperfect — not catastrophic. Moreover, it offers Democrats a fighting chance for incumbents like Marcy Kaptur.
Yet criticism has been swift and sharp, with some already dismissing Kaptur’s prospects and faulting Ohio Senate Minority Leader Nickie Antonio and House Minority Leader Dani Isaacsohn for supporting maps granting Republicans an advantage in 12 of Ohio’s 15 congressional districts until 2031.
However, context is important. This compromise did not erase Kaptur’s electoral advantages; it simply removed some of the gerrymandered padding that Republicans might have gained. In Cohn’s assessment, Ohio Democrats “averted a disaster” while “keeping the districts competitive enough that Democratic incumbents can still win.” That’s the essence of compromise: minimizing losses while preserving opportunity. In contrast, a concession is a unilateral surrender — and that is not what happened here.
And it’s worth noting the climate in which this compromise occurred. A recent Politico poll shows that voters in both parties are increasingly comfortable with partisan redistricting — not to ensure fairness, but to gain a strategic advantage. In other words, both Democrats and Republicans have accepted “map manipulation as a way of life,” raising the risk of eroding democratic principles in the process. In that environment, pragmatic negotiation often is the only way to avoid punitive outcomes. Thus, this deal reflects that reality.
Ohio Democratic Party Chair Kathleen Clyde sees it the same way, emphasizing, “We are confident that Congresswoman Kaptur can win even in a more difficult district … Her district has been gerrymandered before, and she’s won even in very tough election cycles.”
Similarly, Senate Minority Leader Nickie Antonio stressed, “This is not the congressional map that Ohioans deserve; however, I do believe with this map we have averted a disaster.”
And, as for voters on the ground, it’s a matter of trust and long-term relationships: Joe Stallbaum, a Toledo sheet metal worker, put it simply: “I always felt that Marcy listened to working-class people … She doesn’t seem distant … I trust her.”
Notably, the math still favors Democrats in several ways. Even with the compromise, the 9th district contains a strong base of long-term supporters. As Party leaders and voters on the ground alike have pointed out, Kaptur has won in reconfigured districts several times before, and her incumbency, name recognition, and record of constituent service remain significant advantages. Notwithstanding, historically, the president’s party loses seats after midterms, so a potential blue rebound in 2026 could create opportunities for campaigns like Kaptur’s.
So, for Democratic voters frustrated by the optics, it’s essential to understand the strategic calculus. A hard-line fight over redistricting could have led to costly litigation, unpredictable results, or a map fully favoring Republicans. By negotiating a compromise, Democrats preserved a path to victory, kept incumbents viable, and avoided the risk of handing over seats for free.
Yes, it’s imperfect. Yes, some will see it as betrayal. But politics is rarely pure— it’s pragmatic. Redistricting is a game of inches, and for Democrats, the 9th district remains winnable, a reminder that “strategic” compromise can preserve opportunity rather than destroy it.
Marcy Kaptur’s fight isn’t over. With her record, her voters, and careful campaign planning, she may well turn this “compromise” into a 2026 victory—far from a betrayal, it is smart politics, grounded in reality.
Contact Rev. Donald Perryman, PhD, at drdlperryman@centerofhopebaptist.org