Maryland Congressional Redistricting Plan Fizzles
A new congressional map in Maryland is getting shelved after key Democratic figures couldn’t secure enough backing from fellow party members despite intense efforts.
Even with supermajorities in both the Maryland House of Delegates and Senate, and the governorship held by Wes Moore since 2023, a proposed redistricting plan that would have jeopardized the lone Republican House seat failed to pass in the Maryland Senate. The proposal was abandoned late Monday.
Initially, the Maryland House approved the measure comfortably, with a notable 99-37 margin in early February.
Governor Moore had advocated for this map, aiming to counter similar Republican redistricting efforts in states like Texas and North Carolina, which he ties to former President Donald Trump’s influence.
“I think Trump is attempting to manipulate and alter the rules before, during, and after the November election since he knows he can’t win on merit,” Moore expressed.
Last week, while speaking to Pastor Al Sharpton, he emphasized the importance of staying proactive with redistricting. “If other states discuss redistricting mid-decade, Maryland should be in that conversation too; otherwise, we risk allowing this election to be compromised right before our eyes.”
Related: Hakeem Jeffries pressures Maryland Democrats over the Republican-held Congressional seat.
Even U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York is pushing Senate President Bill Ferguson, a Democrat, to bring the map to a vote.
“We’re just asking Senate President Ferguson to let democracy run its course, which means a straightforward yes or no vote,” he stated back in February. “If he continues blocking this, we’ll have to discuss it eventually.” But so far, Ferguson has held firm.
He has consistently pushed back against voting on the new map, suggesting that such action might invite judicial scrutiny and risk the existing map. “Redrawing the current map could lead to judicial challenges that might annul it—this could negatively impact our chances for a seat and worsen the national outlook,” Ferguson noted in an October letter.
A judge has previously deemed Maryland’s 2021 congressional map as “the result of extreme partisan gerrymandering.” The current map was enacted in 2022.
Jeffries’ office has not responded to requests for comments.
