Dem
47
GOP
53
Texas and Missouri have already redrawn their congressional maps to make them even more gerrymandered than they already were. In November, California is holding a special election that would allow it to do the same thing. Maryland has one Republican House seat that could be mapped out of existence, but Gov. Wes Moore (D-MD) hasn't taken any steps to cause Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD) to become unemployed.
At the Annual Legislative Conference hosted by the Congressional Black Caucus last week, the best Moore could do was say: "I am very clear on where I stand. It's time for Maryland to have a conversation about whether we have a fair map or not." Huh? Maryland doesn't need a conversation about whether it has a fair map. It doesn't. It is already badly gerrymandered. The only issue now is whether Moore will ask the legislature to grab the eighth seat as well.
Two top members of the state legislature are rarin' to go, but Moore hasn't even met with them. He is possibly worried about a provision in the state Constitution that states: "Each legislative district shall consist of adjoining territory, be compact in form, and of substantially equal population." It is possible that the courts could strike down a new map. Of course, that is also possible in all the other states that are engaging in midterm re-gerrymandering, but it isn't stopping any of the others. It might require a bit more skill using Dave's Redistricting app to make the districts compact, but he is not even trying. Moore, we mean, not Dave.
Maryland State Sen. Clarence Lam (D) has said that core Democratic voters are enraged by the shenanigans going on and has introduced a bill into the state Senate to add more Democrats to Harris' district. Harris is a particularly delicious target for Democrats because he is chairman of the House Freedom Caucus. Moore hasn't ruled out Lam's bill but seems in no hurry for the legislature to take it up. He said the legislature could take it up in January. That is a very bad idea because potential candidates, even Republican challengers to incumbent Democrats, need time to decide where to run and getting a new map in January that is just beginning its journey through the courts is a terrible idea. If he is going to do it, now is the time. If he is not, now is the time to kill the idea. All this delay does is show that Moore is an indecisive leader. That is not going to help him later if he ever runs for president. (V)