Ohio Democrats take their gripes to court

Associated Press

COLUMBUS

Swept from power in a critical swing state last year, Ohio Democrats and their allies are simultaneously pursuing challenges of four big bills passed by Republicans since January — a collective bargaining overhaul, elections law revisions, privatization of the state’s job creation functions and new once-per-decade congressional maps.

Ohio Democratic Chairman Chris Redfern said this week that challenges at the ballot box and in the courts are necessary to keep the GOP in check in a state closely divided along party lines. He contends Democrats are fighting for a majority of Ohioans.

Republicans, led by Gov. John Kasich, have criticized Democrats and their allies for all the challenges. This summer, Kasich effectively called litigious Democrats and their allies who are repeatedly suing his administration on policy matters sore losers who are holding back Ohio’s progress. His party took control of every statewide office and both chambers of the Legislature last fall.

Grant Neeley, an associate professor of political science at the University of Dayton, said Democrats are “venue shopping” after being disenfranchised at the Statehouse — a legitimate, if expensive, way to push their agenda.

“You’re thwarted in one area — we normally think about everything being played out in the Legislature — but if you’re not successful there, there are a couple different routes you can go,” he said. “It might be setting a new way forward as we have the increasing use of putting things on for referendum. It doesn’t take that much in this era of networked organizations to get the signatures.”