CLEVELAND, Ohio -- What once seemed to be Dennis Kucinich's race to lose has with a few quick strokes of the pen swung the other way, presenting a competitive edge to fellow Democratic Rep.

.

adds 90,000 Toledo-area voters to the reconfigured 9th District, which encompasses the homes and longtime political turf of both incumbents.

A Plain Dealer analysis found that Kaptur's existing constituents account for 47 percent of the new district, or about 50,000 more than from the area

currently represents. Another 96,000 residents -- 13 percent -- come from Rep. Betty Sutton's soon-to-be-splintered district.

If there is a silver lining for Kucinich, it's that the Republican-drawn map leaves intact his base, including Lakewood, Parma and portions of Cleveland's West Side neighborhoods.

Yet that fact has done little to silence private speculation that Kucinich might abandon plans to challenge Kaptur next March and instead run in the neighboring 11th District. That primary would pit the white Kucinich against two black Democrats, incumbent

. If the black vote splits, Kucinich's return to Washington could be sealed.

Kucinich declined to discuss his plans Thursday. But political observers cautioned not to count the former Cleveland mayor out -- even if he decides to compete in Kaptur Country.

"Making a barbell district clearly puts some more weight on Kaptur's end," said consultant Bill Burges, who is not affiliated with either candidate. "But Dennis retains his base, and he's tough as nails. It may or may not weaken Dennis, but it clearly strengthens Marcy."

Kaptur and Kucinich filed signatures last week to run in the 9th District but will have to submit new petitions by Dec. 30 now that state legislators have adjusted boundaries and settled on a March 6 primary. On the Republican side, auctioneer Steven Kraus and Samuel Wurzelbacher, the one-time GOP totem known as Joe the Plumber, have declared their candidacies.

The district, under the map adopted Wednesday, stretches east across lakeshore counties from Lucas to Cuyahoga. Before the modifications that added 90,000 Toledo-area voters, The Plain Dealer had estimated that nearly half of the Democrats consolidated in the new district came from Kucinich's existing 10th District.

The revisions, according to voting data from previous elections, brought key Democratic areas from Kaptur's base -- pockets where President Barack Obama and former Gov. Ted Strickland did well -- into the new district.

Minorities account for 29 percent of the population within the new boundaries. More than half -- 55 percent -- live in areas that Kaptur currently represents in the 9th District.

Though Kaptur benefits from the influx of hometown constituents, parts of Lorain County that she represents today were moved into the 4th District with western Ohio areas currently represented by Republican Jim Jordan. Notably missing are Amherst and Oberlin. And Elyria, which Sutton represents today, was slated to go into the new 9th District under a map approved in September. But the final version places Elyria in the 4th.

None of those areas lost is part of Kucinich's current district.

In an interview Thursday, Kaptur said she's represented four of the five counties in the reconfigured 9th. She said 70 percent of its voters are west of Cuyahoga County -- about 36 percent in Lucas and Ottawa counties and 34 percent in Erie and Lorain counties.

Kaptur said she was "less disappointed" with this map than the September version.

She also is pleased that the new district includes more of Toledo, which she believed would have been regarded as a "residual area" by Republicans assigned to represent it under the previous map.

The 15-term congresswoman said she has been visiting with civic organizations, businesses and political leaders in the part of Cuyahoga County assigned to the new district.

"Our job is to work hard to earn the trust of the new voters added to the 9th district," she said. "We have been getting a warm reception wherever we go in the Cleveland area."

Even with a bigger Toledo cushion, Kaptur must raise her name-recognition in neighborhoods Kucinich has dominated for years, said political strategist Mary Anne Sharkey.

"For some voters, not being Dennis Kucinich will be good enough," said Sharkey, a former Plain Dealer editorial page editor who is not working for either candidate. "But she has a very small window to get out there and meet voters, plus she is handicapped due to the winter months without any big festivals or fairs."

Elsewhere, Fudge, of Warrensville Heights, said the new map doesn't significantly change the 11th District she's been preparing to run in since September.

Her primary challenger, Turner, said Thursday that she will remain in the race and will refile signatures by the Dec. 30 deadline. Fudge said she wouldn't be surprised to see another opponent emerge.

But, alluding to Kucinich, Fudge said, "I don't believe that another incumbent would file."

Ohio is losing two congressional seats because of slow population growth. Besides the Kucinich-Kaptur match, a battle of incumbents also is brewing

. There, freshman Republican Jim Renacci of Wadsworth is facing a challenge from Sutton, a Copley Township Democrat whose district was dismantled and spread among others.

Both said Thursday that the new map doesn't affect their plans.

Alterations to the 9th District were accomplished largely by reshuffling the district of Jordan. Jordan, of Champaign County, is chairman of the conservative Republican Study Committee. The new 4th District covers parts of Lorain County, including liberal Oberlin.

Jordan said he's pleased the new lines will leave him with a "largely rural district -- the same type of district I have had the privilege to represent since my days in the Statehouse."

The new map will give freshman Republican Rep. Bob Gibbs of Holmes County a smaller slice of Lorain County than he would have otherwise had, but more of Huron County. He said he's happy the new district will be more compact than his current turf, requiring less drive time.

Former Democratic Rep. John Boccieri of Alliance -- who lost to Renacci in 2010 -- says the new map puts roughly 45 percent of his former territory into Gibbs' district and he is weighing a run against him.

Downstate, Dayton-area Republican Rep. Mike Turner, whose district was consolidated with that of Republican Rep. Steve Austria of Beavercreek under both remapping plans, was pleased that the district's latest incarnation would include all of Montgomery County. His aides estimated that Turner's home county now constitutes 70 percent of that district.

Austria's campaign aides did not respond to requests for comment.

Columbus-area Republican Rep. Steve Stivers, whose new district encompasses much of Austria's old one, said he's still reviewing the new map, but did not think it made "huge changes."

He said he doesn't expect any new opponents to run against him because of the new map, "but you never know," Stivers said. "There are still 14 more days for folks to file."

This story was written with Plain Dealer Washington Bureau reporter Sabrina Eaton and Data Analysis Editor Rich Exner.