"The Plain Dealer" reported in September 2011 that the new district map of Ohio would dismantle Sutton's district and place her home in "a largely Republican district that's being constructed to favor the re-election of freshman GOP Rep. Jim Renacci of Wadsworth." In December, Sutton filed to run against Renacci. Later that month, "Roll Call" reported that a poll taken at least two months earlier showed the two congress members "neck and neck at 45 percent." On The Washington Post's list of top 10 House races in 2012, Sutton's was at #8.