Maryland panel backs new House map aimed at all-Democratic delegation

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Roll Call

Posted January 20, 2026 at 7:58pm


A Maryland commission tasked with considering whether to redraw the state’s congressional lines voted Tuesday to recommend a new map that would favor Democrats in all eight of the state’s House districts. The proposal, which now heads to the Democrat-controlled General Assembly, is the latest in redistricting moves nationwide that have reshaped this year’s fight for control of the House, where Republicans are defending a slim majority heading into the midterm elections.

“At a moment when other states are moving aggressively to redraw maps, and when fundamental voting rights protections face renewed threats, Maryland has a responsibility to lead with urgency,” Democratic Sen. Angela Alsobrooks, the chair of the redistricting commission, said in a statement. Democrats currently hold seven of Maryland’s eight House seats, with Rep. Andy Harris the delegation’s sole Republican.

His 1st District on the state’s Eastern Shore has previously been a Democratic redistricting target. Following the 2020 census, state Democrats attempted to turn the 1st District into a swing seat during the decennial redistricting process. But a state judge blocked that map, calling it an “extreme partisan gerrymander” that violated the state constitution’s protections for fair elections.

The latest attempt to redraw Maryland’s congressional map faces uncertain prospects in the legislature. While the new state House speaker, Joseline Peña-Melnyk, has indicated support for redrawing the map, state Senate leader Bill Ferguson, a member of the redistricting commission, remains opposed.

Read more: https://rollcall.com/2026/01/20/maryland-redistricting-democrats-midterm-elections/

[mucifer]

1. Maybe not a popular opinion but

I believe we need at least two parties in government. Otherwise there is likely to be corruption.

Yes I ALWAYS want more dems than repubs

[yardwork]

2. I agree and that's why I'm in favor of Democrats aggressively redistricting.

If our democracy survives, I hope it will be a wake up call to ALL citizens that there needs to be a fair and equitable approach to districting.

An example: my state of North Carolina. For about a hundred years until 2010, Democrats controlled the state legislature. (Part of the reason for this is that many southern Democratic politicians were conservative racists, and it took a while for them to migrate to their new identity as conservative Republicans. The other reason was the NC Democratic Party had gerrymandered the state to stay in power.)

Anyway, the election of a Black U.S. president was the tipping point. In 2010 the Republicans took over the state and immediately took a wrecking ball to our democracy. They made up for 100 years very quickly, grabbing power from the governor and exerting control over every possible state institution. They drew ridiculous maps to ensure they stayed in power.

After years of litigation the unfair maps were redrawn and for a few elections NC voters were more fairly represented: about half Democrats, half Republicans, which accurately reflects our population's voting choices. We are truly a purple state.

That fairness was short lived. The US Supreme Court, led by Trump's appointees, overturned the fairer maps and we're back to disgracefully gerrymandered electoral maps. That unfairness in NC alone gave the Republicans a majority in Congress in 2024. Just the seats lost to gerrymandering in NC alone!

Citizens must demand better. If this is what it takes so be it. Our entire democracy is at stake. Democrats must take power where we can and then we can start to right all these wrongs. We can't fix anything when we have no power.

[BaronChocula]

3. There will still be two parties

The goal is to mitigate republican attempts at congressional dominance which would help further the corrupt agenda of the current regime. The idea of checks and balances which is foundational to the Constitution is actually being corrupted by complicit republicans. This is a response to that corruption.

The question gets asked here frequently "what are Democrats doing." This is what they are doing. And more.