{"id":2571163,"date":"2026-02-18T16:14:02","date_gmt":"2026-02-18T21:14:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/jeffries-leaves-maryland-empty-handed-after-redistricting-meetings\/"},"modified":"2026-02-18T16:15:27","modified_gmt":"2026-02-18T21:15:27","slug":"jeffries-leaves-maryland-empty-handed-after-redistricting-meetings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/jeffries-leaves-maryland-empty-handed-after-redistricting-meetings\/","title":{"rendered":"Jeffries leaves Maryland empty-handed after redistricting meetings"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">14<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fjeffries-leaves-maryland-empty-handed-after-redistricting-meetings%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2571163&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries visited Annapolis to press Maryland Democrats to redraw the state\u2019s congressional map in hopes of picking up an additional House seat. Senate President Bill Ferguson pushed back, warning that mid-cycle redistricting could backfire in state courts and cost Democrats seats in Congress, and signaling there may not be enough votes in the Maryland senate to move forward.Gov. Wes Moore and several Maryland House leaders have backed redistricting, with the House passing a map that could erase the state\u2019s lone Republican seat, but the current map is highly likely to stand without Ferguson\u2019s approval. Jeffries argued for an immediate up-or-down vote on the new map and contended there are votes to move forward, while Ferguson has remained opposed as October. The article also notes Jeffries\u2019 broader involvement in redistricting efforts in Virginia and other states, and that Republicans are preparing lawsuits if Maryland proceeds, reflecting a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/new-hampshire-gov-kelly-ayotte-not-joining-redistricting-fight-timing-is-off-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte not joining ... fight: \u2018Timing is off\u2019 ... Washington Examiner\">wider national battle<\/a> over district boundaries.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Jeffries leaves Maryland empty-handed in push to convince Democrats to redraw House map<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2509434\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Minority Leader <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/hakeem-jeffries\/\">Hakeem Jeffries<\/a> (D-NY) is no closer to convincing <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/maryland\/\">Maryland<\/a> Democrats to draw a new House map after a flurry of meetings with party officials in Annapolis.<\/p>\n<p>Jeffries visited Annapolis on Wednesday to lobby Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson to <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4454615\/wes-moore-maryland-senate-vote-redistricting-plan-state-of-the-state\/\">redraw the state&rsquo;s congressional map<\/a> so Democrats could pick up an additional House seat in November. The plea fell on deaf ears with Ferguson warning that redistricting could &ldquo;backfire&rdquo; and imperil Democrats&rsquo; chances of retaking the House this fall.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/4461438\/colbert-slams-cbs-crap-statement-denying-it-pulled-james-talarico-interview\/\">Colbert slams CBS over &#8216;crap&#8217; statement denying it pulled James Talarico interview<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/4460987\/democratic-senate-hopeful-haley-stevens-barrage-online-trolling\/\">Democratic Senate hopeful Haley Stevens faces barrage of online trolling<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4461163\/fetterman-trump-texas-senate-race-cornyn\/\">Fetterman suggests Trump &lsquo;lock down&rsquo; Texas Senate race with Cornyn endorsement<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>&ldquo;I appreciated the meeting with Leader Jeffries this morning,&rdquo; Ferguson said in a statement after the meeting. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s precisely because we want Leader Jeffries in the majority that most members in the Maryland Senate Democratic Caucus do not support moving forward with mid-cycle redistricting that will backfire in our state courts and lose Democrats in Congress.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Jeffries, for his part, challenged Ferguson&rsquo;s vote count and said &ldquo;a forceful Democratic response&rdquo; was needed to counter President Donald Trump&rsquo;s &ldquo;malignant effort to rig the midterm elections.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Bill Ferguson authentically believes that the votes don&rsquo;t exist in the State Senate to move forward,&rdquo; Jeffries said. &ldquo;The only way to find out is to allow an immediate up-or-down vote on the Senate floor with respect to the new congressional map passed by the House of Delegates.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Ferguson&rsquo;s opposition has remained steadfast since October, when he first announced his decision not to bring new maps to the Senate floor.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Since then, Gov. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/wes-moore\/\">Wes Moore<\/a> has embraced redistricting, and the Maryland House of Delegates followed suit, passing a map earlier this month that would likely erase the sole GOP seat in the state&rsquo;s congressional delegation. But without Ferguson&rsquo;s blessing, the current map, a compromise with Republicans approved in 2022, is expected to stand.<\/p>\n<p>Jeffries also met with Moore, House Speaker Joseline Pena-Melnyk, Legislative Black Caucus Chairman Scott Phillips, and other members of the Maryland House Democratic Caucus in his swing through Annapolis, according to a readout of the meetings.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I thanked them all for their leadership and courage in advancing a more competitive congressional map for the great state of Maryland,&rdquo; Jeffries said.<\/p>\n<p>Jeffries has separately been involved in efforts to redistrict in Virginia, Illinois, and beyond &mdash; part of a tit for tat with Trump that could determine the balance of power in Washington next year. Republicans currently hold a one-seat majority in the House and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/democratic-congresswoman-says-democrats-must-defeat-gop-in-2022-to-preserve-democracy\/\" title=\"Democratic Congresswoman Says ... Must Defeat GOP In 2022 To Preserve Democracy\">face historical headwinds<\/a> with Trump in the White House.<\/p>\n<p>Ferguson has frequently argued that a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/new-yorks-congressional-maps-create-chaos-for-democrats\/\" title=\"New York\u2019s ...s Create Chaos for ...\">heavily gerrymandered map<\/a> in Maryland could be struck down by the courts, as happened the last time Democrats attempted to draw Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD) out of office. In a doomsday scenario, Republicans could pick up one or even two seats if courts intervene and draw less favorable districts for 2026.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The GOP is relishing the opportunity, with the National Republican Congressional Committee telling the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> on Wednesday that it has hired legal counsel and is preparing lawsuits if Ferguson decides to move ahead.<\/p>\n<p>But Jeffries and other congressional Democrats have rejected those concerns as &ldquo;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/foxbaltimore.com\/station\/share\/raskin-urges-lawmakers-to-debate-md-redistricting-map-as-senate-remains-biggest-hurdle\">far-fetched<\/a>.&rdquo; <\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;With our country under extreme assault by Republicans, the people of Maryland deserve nothing less,&rdquo; Jeffries said.<\/p>\n<p>Jeffries has found more success in Virginia, where Democrats have teed up a special ballot election that, if it advances, could let them draw a new map with several more blue seats. The redistricting push is generally expected to be a wash, however, as Republicans pursue gerrymanders in Texas, Florida, and elsewhere.<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4461578\/democrats-skip-trump-state-of-the-union-national-mall-rally\/\"><strong>DEMOCRATS TO SKIP TRUMP STATE OF THE UNION FOR COUNTER RALLY ON NATIONAL MALL<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Trump faced a similar setback as Jeffries in Indiana, when state Republicans rejected his effort to draw new maps in a dramatic vote on the Senate floor.<\/p>\n<p>Asked if Ferguson agreed to holding a vote in the Maryland Senate, Jeffries later told reporters the Senate president was going to &ldquo;have a conversation with his members, and we&rsquo;ll see what happens from there.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Jeffries fails to sway Md Dems on redistricting<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2651,"featured_media":2571164,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image-collage-e5w8hnicx-1771445562390-e1771447049117.jpg?1771429195&amp;w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[74057,74060,74058,69323,74059],"class_list":["post-2571163","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner","tag-hakeem-jeffries-2","tag-maryland-politics-2","tag-maryland-redistricting-2","tag-political-news-2","tag-redistricting-meetings"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image-collage-e5w8hnicx-1771445562390-e1771447049117.jpg?1771429195&amp;w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2571163","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2651"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2571163"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2571163\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2571167,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2571163\/revisions\/2571167"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2571164"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2571163"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2571163"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2571163"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}