Cleveland Reporter

Steve Cortes, President of the League of American Workers, has called for Republican-led legislatures to take action on redistricting due to significant shifts in population. The statement was made on X.

"Steve is exactly correct," said Cortes. "We MUST redistrict and we have every solid justification to do so. The Great Sorting has compelled material population shifts -- both among states and within states. Let's get gangster, red legislatures, and GET THIS DONE!"

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, recent years have seen notable migration patterns within and into Ohio, with demographic data indicating shifts among urban and suburban areas as well as from other states. Policymakers and researchers refer to these changes as a "Great Sorting," which affects community composition and population density—key factors when drawing legislative districts to ensure equal representation. Ohio lawmakers frequently cite these ongoing population shifts as a strong justification for new redistricting efforts to maintain current and constitutionally balanced districts.

The U.S. Census Bureau’s 2023 American Community Survey reports that over 1.2 million Ohioans changed residences within a year, highlighting significant internal geographic mobility. This movement between counties and across state lines necessitates periodic redistricting to ensure districts reflect not only total population but also shifting population centers. The Ohio Redistricting Commission and legislature use this data to determine where new district boundaries are necessary for equitable political representation.

The Dayton Daily News reported that in 2023, Ohio experienced more people moving in from other states than leaving for only the third time since 2005, with approximately 185,341 incoming interstate movers compared to 184,280 residents leaving—a modest net gain indicating renewed interstate migration into the state. Additionally, nearly 1.1 million Ohioans moved within the state, especially in rapidly growing counties like Union, Delaware, and Licking. These migration trends are precisely the types of "Great Sorting" population shifts cited by state leaders as legally and practically compelling reasons to update legislative districts according to current population distributions.

Cortes is the founder and president of the League of American Workers, an organization promoting pro-worker populism focused on national sovereignty, power diffusion, and populist economics. He previously served as a senior advisor and spokesperson during Donald Trump’s 2016 and 2020 campaigns and has appeared widely as a commentator on networks such as CNBC, Fox News, and CNN. A former hedge fund trader, Cortes graduated from Georgetown University.