Maryland Democrats Advance Plans to Eliminate Lone GOP District by 2026
Maryland Democrats are actively working to reshape the state’s congressional map with the objective of erasing the last remaining Republican district. This strategy could lead to a total Democratic hold on all eight seats by 2026, igniting a fierce partisan conflict that may resonate well beyond Maryland and increase national redistricting tensions.
The urgency of this situation is captured in a tweeted alert that states: “🚨 BREAKING: Maryland Democrats are now moving to ABOLISH the one remaining Republican Congressional District in 2026, which would make the map 8D-0R…This is what happens when you still have WEAK, SPINELESS Republicans who know nothing but how to lose.” The message reflects a growing frustration among conservatives after relentless setbacks in redistricting efforts. In Maryland, Democrats appear ready to harness their advantage to completely eliminate Republican representation.
The current congressional delegation includes seven Democrats and one Republican, Rep. Andy Harris, who represents the 1st District, primarily located on the Eastern Shore. Moves made by the legislature and advisory groups suggest Democrats are gearing up to redraw the map, further consolidating their political power in the state.
One GOP Seat Targeted
In December 2023, Maryland’s Governor Wes Moore established a Redistricting Advisory Commission to evaluate the state’s congressional boundaries. The commission aims to gather public input and offer recommendations for upcoming elections. However, there are concerns regarding transparency, as critics point out that many meetings were conducted privately without proper notice or public access.
Sen. Angela Alsobrooks, the commission chair, defended the closed sessions, arguing that the need to operate within the constraints of the federal Voting Rights Act and responses to Republican-led redistricting efforts demanded such an approach. “We decided to continue our work to recommend a congressional map…” she articulated, alluding to the potential for significant legal challenges ahead.
Interestingly, some Democratic leaders are raising doubts about the optics of redistricting mid-decade. Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson has openly criticized the non-transparent meetings, asserting that they are “unfair to the public.” Despite these reservations, he has yet to rule out the possibility of a comprehensive congressional remap before the next election.
Democrats’ Long-Term Strategy
The current congressional map has roots in a redistricting effort initiated in 2011 by former Governor Martin O’Malley, who admitted his goal was to flip a Republican seat to fortify the Democratic advantage in Maryland. This strategy proved successful when Republican Rep. Roscoe Bartlett lost his seat to Democrat John Delaney in 2012, with the new district boundaries effectively removing around 70,000 registered Republican voters.
Now, once again, Maryland Democrats are contemplating a strategy aimed at flipping the 1st District. The recently proposed map by the Legislative Redistricting Advisory Commission intended to merge portions of the Eastern Shore with more liberal suburban areas near the Chesapeake Bay to diminish Republican influence. Although that map faced legal challenges, altered versions may still allow for advantageous district manipulation in the future.
With a significant majority in both the Maryland General Assembly and the governor’s office, Democrats control the redistricting process entirely.
Republican Concerns Mount
Rep. Andy Harris, as the state’s only Republican in Congress, has expressed fears regarding the Democrats’ intentions to completely exclude the GOP from representation. He commented that there are reasons to believe judicial scrutiny might render any new maps invalid while simultaneously acknowledging the vulnerability of the current map: “Not only could a new map be thrown out now, but the current map could be adjudicated…and force it to be redrawn to have two or three Republicans in Congress from Maryland.”
This situation appears unlikely to lead to significant Republican gains. With no legal requirement to preserve a Republican seat, state law grants Maryland’s legislature broad leeway when delineating district boundaries, provided they adhere to federal population and racial representation standards. Principles like compactness and geographical coherence, which are crucial in other states, are not obligatory in Maryland’s redistricting process.
The singular Republican counter, Governor Hogan’s now-defunct Maryland Citizens Redistricting Commission, was overridden by Democrats in 2022 when they opted for a map that received an “F” for fairness over a more favorable one. Attempts by House Republicans to substitute the citizens’ proposal were unsuccessful, losing 93-43 along party lines.
Legal and Political Risks
Moving ahead with redistricting in the middle of the decade, once seen as legally risky and politically unwise, seems to be gaining traction as both major parties seek advantages in their respective states ahead of the 2024 elections. States like Texas, Indiana, and Ohio have already manipulated district lines to their benefit, as former President Trump has urged Republicans to act decisively while they hold the reins of power.
Maryland Democrats are cognizant of the potential backlash. Karl Rove, a political strategist, once noted that redistricting could shift the balance of power faster than traditional campaign methods. That insight has not gone unnoticed by Democrats, particularly by former Attorney General Eric Holder, who now leads the Democratic National Redistricting Committee. He is pushing blue-state leaders to counteract the GOP’s maneuvers, making Maryland an attractive target given its deep Democratic bench.
Governor Moore recognizes the stakes involved, stating, “I don’t live in the theoretical…I live in the reality right now that Donald Trump is trying to rig the system right in front of our faces.”
However, some warn that redistricting may not yield the expected benefits. John Willis, a former Maryland Secretary of State and redistricting expert, cautioned against unforeseen consequences, implying that the electorate may respond differently than anticipated.
Public Pushback, Limited Leverage
Public sentiment is already becoming apparent, particularly within the Eastern Shore. Local residents like Barbara Lafferty, a Republican from the 1st District, perceive the Democratic efforts to eliminate Republican representation as an overreach. “If you take away that one congressional seat, for me, I have no voice,” she lamented.
On the other side, Democrats critical of Rep. Harris, including former legislator Barbara Osborn Kreamer, argue that their obligation is to employ all legal avenues available to eradicate representation they regard as extreme. “It’s an outrage to be represented by Andy Harris at this time,” she remarked, while advocating for activism over redistricting in the short term.
Looking ahead, Maryland is poised to deliberate new congressional maps in 2024 or early 2025. Candidate filing for the 2026 elections is set for early 2026, providing Democrats an opportunity to convene public meetings, finalize proposals, and secure approval for new district maps prior to any legal obstacles.
If successful, Maryland could face a historic congressional election in 2026, featuring only Democratic candidates and eliminating any Republican incumbents. This would mark the first time the state sees complete one-party representation in the House.
For Republicans, the developments in Maryland signal a concerning trend—not merely in terms of district boundaries, but regarding broader governance dynamics and the peril of losing footholds in critical areas. The concerns echoed in the viral tweet about “spineless Republicans” losing their presence is not mere hyperbole; it encapsulates a mounting issue that reflects political realities and the ramifications of inaction in critical state-level contests that shape the national chessboard.
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