Democrats’ hope for new congressional map in Maryland stalled
The article discusses the stalled efforts by Maryland Democrats to redraw congressional district maps in a way that would favor their party by targeting the only Republican-held House seat in the state, occupied by Rep. Andy Harris. Despite discussions and hopes to advance redistricting mid-decade, these efforts have not progressed, partly due to concerns that such attempts could face legal challenges similar to those encountered in 2022. At that time, a state judge invalidated a Democratic-drawn map for extreme partisan gerrymandering, resulting in a new map that made the 6th Congressional District more competitive for Republicans.
Democrats see redistricting as a crucial tool to counter recent Republican moves in other states, like Texas, where GOP-led map changes have aimed to increase their House majority. maryland’s Democrats have historically benefited from redistricting that boosted their representation, growing their advantage from an even delegation in 2002 to a dominant presence in subsequent elections. Governor wes Moore has expressed support for redistricting efforts aimed at creating fairer maps that truly represent voters’ choices rather than incumbent protection.
the debate highlights the political and legal complexities around redistricting in Maryland as both parties prepare for the 2026 elections and strive to influence the balance of power in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Democrats’ hope for new congressional map in Maryland stalled
Maryland Democrats’ hopes of redrawing the state’s political map to boost the party have failed to gain traction.
After meeting to discuss advancing redistricting efforts on Monday, leading Democrats suggested the effort, which seeks to flip the last remaining House seat held by a Republican, has stalled. They fear it could face legal challenges similar to the last time Democrats tried to make the one Republican seat, occupied by Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD), more competitive for their party in 2022.
“It was an interesting exchange of views about where we are, but I don’t think there was any resolution to do anything right now,” Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) told Punchbowl News, calling the summit “a free and frank exchange.”
His statement comes as Democratic efforts in Maryland to redraw the maps in their favor in past redistricting efforts have faced legal challenges, including in 2022, when a state judge threw out the party’s map targeting Harris’s seat after it passed the legislature due to concerns it was “a product of extreme partisan gerrymandering.”
At the time, Senior Judge Lynne A. Battaglia ordered the legislature to draw up a new map. Maryland’s final map, which then-Republican Gov. Larry Hogan signed into law, made the 6th Congressional District in western Maryland more competitive for Republicans.
Full map redistricting plans by Washington Examiner
The debate in Maryland over redistricting efforts sparked this year when Texas Republicans launched and passed new maps seeking to boost the number of GOP House seats the state holds. Democrats nationwide have eyed similar efforts to counteract the opposition’s efforts to further tilt the balance of power in the lower chamber.
The matter is of vital importance to both Republicans and Democrats ahead of the 2026 elections, as the GOP fights to hold onto and expand its narrow majority in the House.
In Maryland, Democrats have talked about possible changes to the eight districts in a rare mid-decade redistricting effort. Such plans are typically launched at the beginning of each decade, as every 10 years, states redraw the boundaries of their congressional districts to reflect new population counts from the census.
For years, revised political maps have boosted Democrats’ competitive edge in Maryland.
In 2002, the state’s delegation in the House was split 4-4, before Democrats led a round of redistricting after the 2000 census that boosted their advantage 6-2. Democrats’ edge in the congressional delegation went to 7-1 in the 2012 election following the 2010 Census.
NEWSOM SIGNS REDISTRICTING BILLS, TAKES FIGHT OVER CONGRESSIONAL MAP TO VOTERS
Last month, Gov. Wes Moore (D-MD) said he favored further redistricting efforts because he wants to make the process more “fair.”
“I want to make sure that we have fair lines and fair seats, where we don’t have situations [in which] politicians are choosing voters but that voters actually have a chance to choose their elected officials. We need to be able to have fair maps,” he said.
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