Huffman, Cupp take their toys and go home

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) —

Ohio's political mapmaking panel

met again Wednesday ahead of a court-ordered Friday deadline to fix a fourth set of invalidated legislative maps.

The Gop-controlled commission convened without state Senate President Matt Huffman, who stepped down Tuesday, and House

Speaker Bob Cupp, who stepped down Wednesday. Both are Republicans.

Huffman said his successor, GOP state Sen. Rob Mccolley, offers a "fresh approach and a new opportunity to produce a result that

clearly the majority of the court was not willing to consider with the speaker and myself serving as

members." Cupp named GOP House Rep. Jeff Lere as his replacement.

A three-judge federal panel has indicated in a separate federal lawsuit that they plan to impose

the commission's third set of Ohio

House and Senate district maps on May 28 if no alternative is passed

by then — and order it used in an Aug. 2 primary.

The state Supreme Court has said that set of maps — like the first, second and fourth — are an unconstitutional gerrymander unduly favoring Republicans.

Democrats in Ohio took the unusual step last week of calling their own political mapmaking

hearing of sorts, inviting public testimonials and streaming the

proceeding on Facebook.