While You Weren’t Looking, Democrats Got a Shot at the House
A quiet redistricting move in Maryland could flip a House seat, and matter far more than Trump’s latest distraction.
While everyone was focused on Trump’s three ring circus at Davos, featuring such performances as “We’re taking Iceland (sic),” and “Never mind, I have a concept of a plan,” Maryland quietly advanced a newly redrawn map that could give Democrats a realistic path to winning all eight of the state’s congressional seats.
What Happened While You Weren’t Looking
Maryland’s bipartisan redistricting advisory committee just recommended a new map that would neutralize the rightwing power grab first instigated by Trump in Texas. In practical terms, the Maryland map could hand Democrats one additional House seat, small on its own, but huge in a Congress where Republicans have a razor-thin majority.
The plan now heads to the Maryland House and Senate for debate and a vote. As it stands, there’s still time for these maps to be in place ahead of the 2026 midterms.
But that’s only if state officials act fast. And here’s where the gears start to grind.
The Problem Isn’t Republicans, It’s Democratic Hesitation
David Moon, the Democratic majority leader in the Maryland House, has said they’re ready to go and put it to a vote. But there seems to be major opposition in the Democrat-controlled senate. And it starts at the top, with Senate president Bill Ferguson. An internal poll showed 24 of the 34 Democrats in the Senate are opposed, and more are uncertain.
Ferguson told the New York Times he would not be bringing it to a floor for a vote, claiming that it was too close to the 2026 elections and it would “throw things into chaos.”
But nothing would be more chaotic than whatever it is Trump plans to do with another two years of Republican control of the government.
Why This Fight Is Happening, and Why It Can’t Wait
This is coming in response to shameless redistricting efforts in Republican states undertaken at the explicit request of the Godking himself. In July 2025, Trump issued the decree that he is “entitled to five more seats” in Texas.
As if seats in Texas are crab legs at a Vegas buffet and he’s “entitled” to “all you can eat.”
Trump has handpicked states to selectively and aggressively redistrict, and his lackeys are tripping over themselves to deliver. Republicans have been working overtime in Texas, Ohio, North Carolina, and now Florida to furiously redraw the maps that deliberately dilute the influence of Black and Hispanic voters who tend to vote Democrat.
The only way to counter is to fight fire with fire.
Democrats Still Have a Move Here
Ferguson has every tool at his disposal to step up and combat this shameless assault on voting rights. He’s worried the map will be struck down in court. Instead of looking for ways to get to “no,” he should be working overtime to get to “yes.” And it’s not difficult; all he has to do is call a vote.
It’s exactly what Gavin Newsom has done in California with Proposition 50, which is a direct response to Texas’s redistricting effort.
By advancing Proposition 50, Newsom wields California’s map-drawing power as a direct counterweight to Republican redistricting elsewhere. The same kind of defensive move Maryland can make now to shore up Democratic representation.
Maryland Governor Wes Moore is committed to it. “I refuse to be meek, and I refuse to be weak,” he said in my interview with him.
This Fight Doesn’t Just Stop At State Lines
The Supreme Court is set to issue a ruling on the case of Louisiana vs. Callais that threatens to blow up whatever’s left of the Voting Rights Act before the end of its term in June. That case centers on Section 2, a provision that requires states to draw maps that give minority voters a legitimate opportunity to elect candidates of their choice.
After the 2020 census, civil rights groups sued states that had gerrymandered their maps in ways that limited Black opportunity districts. They won, and those states complied by redrawing those maps.
But in Louisiana, a group of white voters sued, claiming those new maps discriminated against them, and the Justices agreed to hear the case. But instead of ruling narrowly in that case, the Court looked for arguments as to whether Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act is still enforceable at all.
That’s the alarm bell.
Section 2 is now the last major pillar of the VRA. If the Court weakens or guts it, states would be free to dismantle minority opportunity districts nationwide.
Estimates say that anywhere from 12 to as many as 30 House seats currently held by Black members of Congress could be redrawn. It would make it harder for Democrats to win the House, deal a devastating blow to voting rights, and hand a gift to Republicans in their effort to lock in power.
There’s Still Time, But Not Much
The Maryland House Committee just agreed to hold a hearing on the new 8-0 map on Monday, with a vote possible later in the week.
That’s the first hurdle. The discussion will head to the Maryland state senate next, where Bill Ferguson holds the cards. Now is the time to put as much pressure as we can on him and the Maryland senate democrats to do the right thing.
This is our last line of defense in preserving a healthy democracy, where every vote still matters.
This is the window. If it closes, it doesn’t reopen. Call the Maryland Senate and make it clear: bring the map to a vote.
Main Senate switchboard: (410) 841-3000 or (301) 858-3000
Bill Ferguson Senate President, (D, District 46) - bill.ferguson@senate.maryland.gov
Dalya Attar (D-41) – dalya.attar@senate.maryland.gov
Joanne C. Benson (D-24) – joanne.benson@senate.maryland.gov
Malcolm Augustine (D, District 47) - malcolm.augustine@senate.maryland.gov
Nancy J. King (D, District 39) - nancy.king@senate.maryland.gov
Democrats have to stop being so timid and get busy and get to work......
Time to Man UP Democrats put on your full armor because it's going to be a fight!!! I'm voting Blue 💙 all the way!!