Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson has poured cold water on national Democrats’ hopes to use Maryland as their next weapon in the redistricting wars. In a letter to fellow Democrats, Ferguson announced that the state Senate would not move forward with an effort to redraw Maryland’s congressional map mid-cycle.
“The Senate is choosing not to move forward with mid-cycle congressional redistricting,” Ferguson said in a three-page letter to Democratic lawmakers. “In short, the risk of redrawing the congressional map in Maryland is too high, making the unlikely possibility that we gain a seat not worth pursuing.”
The decision is a major setback for Democrats in Washington, who have been eyeing blue states like Maryland to counter GOP gains in other states ahead of next year’s elections. Their goal: redraw friendly maps to squeeze out the last remaining Republican district in Maryland — currently represented by Rep. Andy Harris.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has been pressuring Maryland Democrats to act, even discussing the plan with Gov. Wes Moore. State Sen. Clarence Lam had already introduced a bill to make it happen. But Ferguson’s letter effectively shuts the door, at least for now.
Ferguson reportedly told party leaders that the political risk was too great — that trying to redraw the lines could backfire in court and even result in Republicans gaining a seat. Currently, Democrats hold seven of Maryland’s eight congressional districts, one of the most lopsided ratios in the country.
In his letter, Ferguson also appeared to acknowledge the hypocrisy of national Democrats demanding “fair maps” in red states while pushing aggressive partisan remaps in blue ones.
“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,” Ferguson wrote.
That admission stands in sharp contrast to the rhetoric coming from top Democrats, who have long accused Republicans of unfairly drawing maps — while quietly benefiting from their own gerrymandered strongholds in places like Illinois, New York, and Maryland.
Across the country, redistricting battles are heating up. Indiana’s Republican governor, Mike Braun, is exploring a special session to address his state’s map, while Louisiana’s GOP lawmakers are preparing for possible court changes. Democrats in Virginia, meanwhile, are looking for ways to rewrite their redistricting commission to gain an edge.
The political tug-of-war shows no sign of slowing, as both parties position themselves for the 2026 midterms. But for now, Maryland — one of the most reliably Democratic states in the nation — will stay put.
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