After a judge struck down a previous map 10 days ago for being a product of extreme partisan gerrymandering, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan approved on Monday a new congressional map with more compact districts.
The Republican governor, who has been pushing for redistricting reform for a long time, described the new map as a “huge improvement” over the one that the Democrats-controlled General Assembly approved in December over his veto.
Hogan called the approval of the maps with the newly drawn political boundaries a tremendous victory for democracy and for free and fair elections in Maryland, where the primary is set for July 19, something that he’s been focused on for eight years.
The initial map Democrats approved over Hogan’s veto made the lone Republican-held district held by Rep. Andy Harris more competitive and the court struck it down as unconstitutional for diluting Republican votes.
Maryland Republicans have long claimed that the congressional map is one of the most gerrymandered in the nation with its long, contorted lines.
It was the first congressional map drawn by Democrats to be struck down this redistricting cycle in Maryland, where Democrats outnumber Republicans 2-1 and hold a 7-1 advantage in the state’s U.S. House seats.
The quickly redrawn congressional map takes away a portion that stretched across the Chesapeake Bay from the Eastern Shore into an area with more Democrats, making the districts more compact.
Maryland House Speaker Adrienne Jones and Senate President Bill Ferguson – both Democrats – pointed out that the judge’s ruling contained brand new legal standards and emphasized their hope that this new Congressional map they’ve presented the Governor with complies with those standards.
However, they stressed that although the previous maps were also crafted after the census that complies with the law, they’ve redrawn them believing that continued delays, as well as the lack of clear direction in the appeals process, were not in the public’s best interest.
Be the first to comment