From David Nir's front-page diary of earlier today:
• OH Redistricting: Here's some very unhappy Ohio referendum news: Democrats say they're short of funds to complete their petition drive to put the new Republican-drawn congressional map on the ballot. Dems apparently tried to do this one on the cheap, going the all-volunteer route, but it evidently isn't working out for them. The firm which organized the drive to put SB5 up for a vote this past November says that they're still ready to help, but that they just need to get paid. Even if they do get involved, time is incredibly short—and if they don't, then I just don't see how we can get it done. Ohio Democratic chair Chris Redfern says they've only collected 135,000 signatures, but a minimum of 231K are needed by Dec. 26. (And really, you need to file more to survive inevitable challenges.) Ugh. I just have a sick feeling in my stomach about this. If Democrats fail here, then the GOP's brutally gerrymandered map will go into effect for next year, all but ensuring a 12 Republican, 4 Democrat split in Ohio's congressional delegation—even though Ohio is a 50-50 state.
The Ohio Democratic Party has just now put up a special webpage to accept contributions specifically for the redistricting petition drive. Or you can:
Donate by Mail
Ohio Democratic Party
340 East Fulton St.
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Donate by Phone
To make your donation by phone, please call:
Valarie Johnson
614-221-6563 ext. 116
1-877-OHIO-DEM (toll-free)
If there's any hope of retaking the House, we're going to have to scramble and fight for every seat. This is a damn good place to start fighting.
If any of you are feeling one-percenty, the usual Federal limits on political contributions do NOT apply to contributions to this petition drive.
Yes, this is a new version of my previous diary of today, which did not include the new webpage link, and has now fallen off the diary list.
[*"Gerrymander," named for Elbridge Gerry, fifth Vice President of the United States. And the answer to the Final Jeopardy! question the first of my four days on Jeopardy!, 11 years ago. I didn't know the answer, but neither did the other players, so I held onto my lead and won! Perhaps Barack Obama can say the same on November 14, 2012.]