President of the Maryland State Senate, Bill Ferguson, a Democrat, sent a letter to state lawmakers rejecting some members of his party’s push to pass a mid-cycle redistricting map, arguing that the risks are “too high,” with potential “catastrophic” backlash for the party.
Newsweek has reached out to State Senator Ferguson, Maryland Governor Wes Moore, and Maryland House Speaker Adrienne Jones for comment via email on Wednesday.
Why It Matters
State legislators’ push for mid-cycle redistricting is part of a broader national battle over congressional maps, following similar efforts in Republican-led Texas where GOP lawmakers passed a new map backed by Trump that is expected to grant Republicans another five seats.
GOP legislators in Missouri have also pushed through a new map advantageous to Republicans.
Democrats in California, led by Governor Gavin Newsom, responded with their own proposed map aimed at giving their party five new seats, which will go to vote next week.
The mid-decade redistricting proposals are being pushed without new census data, and are an effort for each party to secure more seats in Congress during the 2026 midterm elections. Republicans currently hold a 219-213 majority in the U.S. House of Representatives, making every seat pivotal in determining control. Traditionally, the party that does not hold the White House tends to do better in midterm elections.
What To Know
Ferguson, who represents District 46, which encompasses parts of Baltimore, sent a three-page letter to his Democratic colleagues on Tuesday outlining the reasons why he will not move the chamber forward on a redistricting map.
In the letter, he noted his “frustrations about the state of our country” and “nationwide, we are in a fight for democracy and that redistricting is at the core of this fight because of President Trump’s actions.” He added that the redistricting measures are “not because population shifted, but because political winds did.”
However, he argued that ultimately “the risk of redrawing the congressional map in Maryland is too high, making the unlikely possibility that we gain a seat not worth pursuing.”
He pointed to the fact that “Maryland’s highest court has never reviewed the current congressional map,” which means any redrawing could “reopen the ability for someone to challenge the current map and give the court the opportunity to strike it down, or even worse, redraw the map itself.”
Another stressor Ferguson noted is the timeline, which could potentially delay the June 2026 primary election, as well as concerns over racial gerrymandering, writing that it is “hypocritical to say that it is abhorrent to tactically shift voters based on race, but not to do so based on party affiliation.”
What People Are Saying
Democratic Maryland Governor Wes Moore told Politico in September on the redistricting matter: “There’s no hold up from me.”
Maryland Delegate Adrian Boafo, a Democrat, said in an August 21 X post: “Anything Texas can do, Maryland can do better (including redistricting our maps). I stand ready to work with my fellow Maryland Democrats to redistrict our state. We will not let democracy die on our watch.”
Former President Barack Obama said in an October 14 X post: “California, this November 4th, the whole country is counting on you. Prop 50 puts our elections back on a level playing field, preserves independent redistricting over the long term, and lets the people decide. So return your ballot today. Vote yes on 50.”
Indiana State Representative Kyle Pierce, a Republican, said in a October 28 statement: “I’m voting to redistrict. To those who say we shouldn’t do this…the Virginia Democrats are going to do it, Obama has ads running in California to redistrict for more Democrat districts, and a few other states will join them…As I fear, the national Democrat Party has fallen out of touch with average Hoosiers.”
What Happens Next
Californians are voting on Proposition 50, which “authorizes temporary changes to congressional district maps in response to Texas’ partisan redistricting,” by November 4.
