Ohio Republican Gibbs to Retire, Citing Redistricting ‘Circus’

(Bloomberg) -- Republican Representative Bob Gibbs of Ohio on Wednesday announced that he’s retiring at the end of his term, citing what he called the redistricting “circus” in the state that’s forced him into a primary challenge against a Donald Trump-endorsed candidate. 

Redistricting in Ohio has been marked by legal challenges, with the state’s Supreme Court ruling that an initial congressional map and three proposed maps for state legislative districts unconstitutionally favored Republicans. Early voting started Tuesday for the May 3 primaries for congressional and statewide races, even as the Ohio Supreme Court considers a legal challenge to the districts, and primaries for legislative contests are delayed with courts still considering lawsuits.

Gibbs, 67, who was first elected in 2010, said in a statement that almost 90% of the electorate in his newly drawn district is different. He decried the “long, drawn-out” legal process in redistricting that he said is “detrimental to the state” and its people.

“This circus has provided me the opportunity to assess my future,” Gibbs said in the statement. “To that end, after considerable deliberation, I have decided to not seek re-election this year. This was a difficult decision, one which I did not make lightly.”

Gibbs was also facing a primary challenge from Max Miller, a former Trump aide backed by the former president. Miller initially sought to challenge Representative Anthony Gonzales, one of 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump, but Gonzalez decided not to seek re-election and Miller filed to run against Gibbs in the newly drawn district.

Trump issued a statement congratulating Gibbs on his career, citing his support for the former president’s agenda. 

On Tuesday, Representative Fred Upton, a Michigan Republican who voted to impeach Trump in January 2021, announced that he was retiring. Due to a redrawn congressional district, Upton would have had to face fellow GOP Representative Bill Huizenga, who was endorsed by Trump. The former president has been attacking Republicans who voted to impeach him. 

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