OH-12 should be a competitive district. But the Republican-controlled legislature gerrymandered it in such a way as to make it safe for Republicans. Pat Tiberi, first elected in 2000, has never had a competitive race, not just because the Ohio Democratic Party died some years ago, but because Democrats knew the boundaries made running there a waste of time. A Republican has held the congressional seat since 1983.
John Kasich likes to paint himself as the most bipartisan politician in America. That's camouflage. He happily signed one of the most egregious gerrymandering bills in the country, cutting Ohio up, which voted for Obama both times he's ran and elected progressive Democrat Sherrod Brown both times he ran. Because Kasich did, 50/50 swing state Ohio now has 12 Republicans in Congress and 4 Democrats instead of 8 and 8.
This morning's post on Bannon's attempt to steal all McConnell's fat cat donors is about how the whole project hinges on the tax cuts. The fat cats want their tax cuts. If McConnell can't deliver, they want his head.
