Ohio is one step closer to having two fewer members of Congress, now that a map with new congressional districts has been approved by the House just two days after it was introduced. It creates 16 districts out of 18, and will leave six incumbents to vie for three seats. Two Republican incumbents will battle for a single district in western Ohio, while two longtime Democrats will fight for a single district stretching northern Ohio. And the map combines two districts now represented by a veteran Democrat and a freshman Republican. A few Democrats supported the new map, but most are infuriated, including Ohio Democratic Party chair Chris Redfern, who's considering taking it to the ballot. A few days after a speech to a joint session of Congress, President Barack Obama brought his sales pitch on his jobs bill to Columbus. President Obama will be back in Ohio next week - in Cincinnati, the hometown of House Speaker John Boehner.

There are less than two months till election day, And the campaign surrounding Issue 2 is heating up. If Issue 2 passes, it would put into effect Senate Bill 5, the collective bargaining reform law signed in March that would affect all unionized public employees in Ohio, including teachers and other school employees, prison guards, nurses and other government workers, including police and firefighters. Both sides have a lot of money and a lot of supporters, so this is likely to be the start of a barrage of ads, flyers, phone calls and campaign tactics as we come closer to the vote. Talking about the bill that sparked what is fast becoming a bitter ballot battle are two key state senators: Keith Faber, a Republican of Celina and the president pro-tem of the Senate, and Joe Schiavoni, a Democrat of Youngstown.