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Allison Russo
American politician from Ohio (born 1976) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Catherine Allison Russo (born October 15, 1976) is a Democratic politician currently serving as a member of the Ohio House of Representatives.[1] She represents the 7th district, which consists of portions of Columbus, and Upper Arlington in Franklin County. Russo formerly served as Ohio House Minority Leader from January 2022 to June 2025.[2]
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Leadership of House Democrats
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Ohio Redistricting Commission
As House minority leader, Russo served as one of two Democratic members of the Ohio Redistricting Commission during the post-2020 map-drawing cycle. During this period, the Supreme Court of Ohio repeatedly invalidated General Assembly maps adopted by the commission as unconstitutional partisan gerrymanders that violated Article XI, Section 6 of the Ohio Constitution, and ordered the commission to adopt new plans in compliance with the state constitution.[3][4]
On September 26, 2023 the commission unanimously approved new Ohio House and Senate maps, with Russo and Senate Minority Leader Nickie Antonio joining the Republican members in support.[5] Coverage of the plan described projected partisan balances of roughly 61–38 in the House and 23–10 in the Senate in favor of Republicans, while also noting an increase in the number of competitive districts for Democrats compared with earlier drafts.[6][7] Voting-rights organizations and legal advocates continued to argue that the maps remained partisan gerrymanders even after the unanimous vote.[8][9]
In subsequent litigation over the September 2023 plan, the Supreme Court of Ohio noted that Russo proposed an amendment to the unanimously adopted plan, that both Democratic commissioners voted for the amended plan, and that bipartisan support rendered the plan effective through the 2030 election cycle, even as petitioners continued to describe the plan as a partisan gerrymander under Article XI, Section 6(B).[10]
On October 31, 2025 the commission again voted unanimously, including Russo, to adopt a new congressional map that increased the projected Republican advantage from 10–5 to a likely 12–3 split, while Democratic members and national strategists characterized the outcome as a negotiated compromise that avoided a more aggressive map and a possible referendum fight.[11][12]
Leadership change in 2025
On June 24, 2025, Russo stepped down as House Minority Leader, saying the caucus needed “ample time to prepare for the 2026 election cycle.” She continued serving as a member of the Ohio House. Representative Dani Isaacsohn was elected by the Democratic caucus to succeed her.[13][14]
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Controversies and Criticism
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Ohio Redistricting Commission votes
In September 2023, the Ohio Redistricting Commission unanimously approved a sixth version of the post-2020 General Assembly maps, often referred to as "Map 6", with Russo and Senate Minority Leader Nickie Antonio joining the five Republican members in support.[15][16]
Analyses of the plan projected Republican advantages of roughly 61–38 in the Ohio House and 23–10 in the Ohio Senate, while also noting an increase in the number of competitive districts compared with some earlier drafts.[17]
Voting-rights coalitions Equal Districts and Fair Districts, including Common Cause Ohio, criticized the agreement as entrenching partisan gerrymanders despite the bipartisan vote.[18]
Russo’s support for the 2023 maps drew renewed scrutiny during her 2026 campaign for Ohio Secretary of State. Voting-rights advocates and some Democratic activists argued that backing the GOP-favored plan had undercut efforts to pass a citizen-led redistricting amendment scheduled for the 2024 ballot.[19] In a 2024 interview with Signal Ohio, Russo defended her votes as "the best of two bad options", describing the decision as one of the most difficult of her legislative career.[20]
The vote drew criticism from voting-rights organizations and redistricting reform advocates, who argued that the maps continued to favor Republicans after multiple earlier proposals had been ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of Ohio.[21]
Following her announcement that she would run for Ohio Secretary of State in 2026, Russo faced renewed scrutiny over the 2023 vote. [22]
In interviews, she defended the decision as “the best of two bad options,” citing months of stalemate on the commission and a need to avoid further delays. [23]
Critics argued the decision contributed to Republican advantages in the subsequent election cycles and reduced opportunities for Democratic gains, particularly in suburban and exurban districts. [24]
Russo’s leadership tenure drew renewed attention following her June 2025 announcement that she would step down as House Minority Leader at the end of the month.[25] Analysts noted that Ohio Democrats continued to operate within a Republican-favored legislative landscape, with prior assessments highlighting persistent structural disadvantages for the caucus despite competitive performances in several suburban districts.[26]
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Ohio House of Representatives
Election
Russo faced off against Republican candidate Erik Yassenoff in the general election on November 6, 2018, winning with 57 percent of the vote, flipping the seat from Republican control to Democratic control.[27] In 2020, she successfully defended her seat against Republican Pat Manley, winning with 58% of the vote. After being redrawn into the 7th district, Russo was again re-elected to the Ohio House in 2022 and 2024, running uncontested in both elections.[28][29]
Committees
Russo serves on the following committees:[30]
- Health
- State and Local Government
- Finance
- Finance Subcommittee on Health and Human Services
- Families, Aging Human Services
2021 OH-15 Congressional Campaign
In May 2021, Republican Representative Steve Stivers resigned from Congress to become CEO of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce, triggering a special election for the vacant seat.[31] Russo won the Democratic primary in August against Greg Betts, and advanced to the general election against Republican lobbyist Mike Carey. The election was held on November 2, 2021, with Carey defeating Russo by a margin of 58.3 percent to 41.7 percent.[32] Despite the loss, Russo received the highest vote share for a Democrat in the district since it was redrawn in 2012.
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2026 Ohio Secretary of State Campaign
In August 2025, Russon announced that she would be running for Ohio Secretary of State in 2026.[33]
Electoral history
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References
External links
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