CIRCLEVILLE, OH — Ohio Representative Brian Stewart recently addressed local supporters about the upcoming Issue 1 on the November ballot, expressing strong opposition to the measure and its potential implications for representation in Pickaway County and beyond.
Stewart began his remarks by acknowledging the hard work of party members and emphasizing his role as a state representative. “I work for you,” he stated, urging constituents to reach out for assistance with state-level issues. He highlighted the longstanding Republican representation in Pickaway County and warned that the passage of Issue 1 could shift the political landscape significantly.
“If it passes, I can virtually guarantee you that Pickaway County will have a Democrat congressman, a Democrat state senator, and a Democrat state representative,” he said. He pointed out that despite the county’s strong support for Trump—voting for him by 72%—the influence of outside funding and liberal interests could undermine local representation.
Stewart criticized the media’s portrayal of Issue 1, suggesting they are aligned with proponents eager for its passage. He stressed the importance of educating voters about what he sees as the measure’s true effects, particularly regarding gerrymandering. “Issue 1 will not end gerrymandering; it will guarantee it in favor of Democrats,” he claimed, arguing that the proposed changes would allow for the creation of “safe seats” for Democratic candidates.
“The reality is, in 2015 and 2018 we already had 70% of Ohioans that went to the ballot to fix this issue, right? Both parties in 2015 and 2018 told our voters endorsed ballot issues, and said, Let’s put in a bipartisan process to draw legislative lines for Congress and for the state of Ohio. So our constitution already has provisions in it that says, hey, you got to keep communities together. You can’t start out in Columbus and, you know, create a district that goes down to Portsmouth. Okay? We don’t want these long, snaking districts that carve counties up into 12 different little pieces. We already have in our constitution a requirement that for a map to get passed to last 10 years, you’ve got to have buy-in from both parties.”
He also addressed the historical context of map drawing in Ohio, explaining that previous bipartisan efforts have already ensured that communities are kept together and that districts are fairly represented. “Our constitution requires that map drawers be accountable to the voters. Issue 1 eliminates that accountability,” he asserted.
“I represent 116,000 people. The person beside me, Mark Johnson represents 116,000 people. The Democrat reps represent 116,000 people, and so on and so forth under issue one, that’s conveniently left out. So the Democrats will say, Well, don’t worry, you’re still gonna have 99 districts, and they’re all still going to be equal, and so it’s all going to balance out. No, no, no, no, no. Democrats could take all of Southeast Ohio, 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8, counties, 300,000 people, and give them one state rep. Meanwhile, they can take Franklin County full of Democrats. Maybe they only have to represent 50,000 people, 80,000 people. So now Franklin County gets 27 state reps, and southern Ohio gets two because we’ve eliminated proportionality in the drawing of legislative lines for the first time in all of Ohio History. Folks, that’s nuts. And here’s the other question, who draws these lines?”
In a pointed critique, Stewart warned that if Issue 1 passes, it would empower unelected bureaucrats without mechanisms for removal, even if they fail to fulfill their duties. He emphasized the need for voters to maintain control over who represents them in both Columbus and Washington, D.C.
“Issue One says that we have no politicians involved in drawing maps. But it goes a step further than that. Raise your hand if you’ve ever run for political office, and keep it up, please. All right. Raise your hand if you’ve ever served in political office. All right, keep your hands up. Raise your hand if you’re if any of your family members have ever run for political office, okay, get a little higher. Raise your hand if you’re on the State Central Committee. Keep them up. You. Okay, raise your hand if you’re a family member of somebody who’s ever been on the State Central Committee. Raise your hand if you’ve ever been on a government board. Raise your hand if you’ve ever been a commissioned officer in the United States military. Well, if everybody had left their hands up, we’d almost have about 95% of this room with their hand in the air. Congratulations. You’re all automatically disqualified from having any eligibility to draw lines for the state of Ohio. Not begs the question, if none of you are qualified to draw these lines, who is, who is, and I suspect you’re going to see it based on the alphabet soup of left-wing groups that have funded this effort.”
Stewart concluded by rallying supporters to take action, urging them to speak out against Issue 1 and mobilize their networks. “We need your help to get the word out. A simple Facebook post or conversation can make a difference,” he urged, calling on the Republican base to stand united against what he described as a “bad deal for Ohio.”
