Maryland didn’t redistrict when it could, a decision that’s probably giving state Democrats heartburn after a series of tough setbacks, including the Virginia Supreme Court throwing out a new map over state constitution violations. Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones is appealing to the Supreme Court in a last-ditch effort.
Maryland might revive their push for an 8-0 map, but there are electoral and institutional issues. For starters, the president of the Maryland Senate, Bill Ferguson, has remained opposed to redrawing the maps (via Politico):
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore says the state needs to move on redistricting.
— POLITICO (@politico) May 14, 2026
“We don’t have a choice but to act, particularly when we’re watching the greatest assault on Black voter representation ... that we have seen in generations," he tells our @jmart.
🔗 https://t.co/TQEj2WVWmI pic.twitter.com/HhEFnZK8mf
Maryland Democrats are increasingly agitating for their state to redraw its congressional lines after a miserable two weeks in the redistricting wars — with prominent Democrats arguing there is still time to wade in for this year’s elections.
But they have hit the same pair of roadblocks that sunk the party’s hopes months earlier: the state’s June primary and Democratic state Senate President Bill Ferguson, who is facing a fresh wave of anger from prominent Democrats for his role in preventing the party from trying to draw an 8-0 map.
“At this point, the Republicans are literally doing everything in their power to create all Republican congressional delegations in the South and to squeeze out every possible seat,” Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) said in an interview. “So if his initial position was that he didn’t want to be part of continuing a downward spiral, that consideration should be gone. At this point, it’s just a question of whether we are going to fight back as best as we can.”
[…]
Many in the party concede that the odds of enacting a redraw before the midterms are remote, with in-person early voting in the state’s primary elections under a month away. They privately acknowledge that getting Maryland ready to gerrymander ahead of 2028 is the more plausible scenario.
But they’re still turning the screws on Ferguson, who faces a tougher-than-expected primary campaign against Bobby LaPin, a veteran and tour boat operator.
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore withheld a planned endorsement of Ferguson after a conversation last week in which the Senate president declined to signal more movement or openness on redistricting, according to a person briefed on the conversation granted anonymity to discuss the private conversation.
And publicly, Moore has maintained that the state has to move on redistricting.
“We don’t have a choice but to act, particularly when we’re watching the greatest assault on Black voter representation around the country that we have seen in generations, that we are watching a president try to manipulate and change the rules in the middle of the game,” Moore told POLITICO’s Jonathan Martin for an episode of “On The Road,” which is set to publish next week. “I would urge [Ferguson] and his colleagues to be able to take this moment seriously.”
Oh, please—first, that's not true—black voting rights aren’t under attack. Second, Republicans will replace representation. Third, does Moore realize that a plurality of Democrats would sacrifice black voting support if it meant defeating the GOP? Do you know who your allies are, governor?
If anything, on the assault on Black voter representation, that call is coming from inside the house.