Maryland Gov. Wes Moore will testify in support of the proposed new congressional map at a key committee hearing in Annapolis on Tuesday.
Moore is significantly upping pressure on the Maryland legislature to complete its mid-decade redistricting, even as the state Senate’s top Democrat stands in opposition.
This is a big test of clout for Moore, who’s widely seen as a 2028 presidential contender. The stakes are also high for House Democrats who hope to gain a congressional seat if Moore can get a new map through the legislature.
The House of Delegates’ Rules and Executive Nominations Committee is holding the hearing on Tuesday afternoon with time allotted for public testimony. The lawmakers are considering a proposed constitutional amendment that would shift Maryland from a 7D-1R map to an 8D-0R one.
After the hearing, the committee will vote to refer the amendment to the full House of Delegates, which could vote on it as soon as this week. Then it has to go to the state Senate.
Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson opposes mid-decade redistricting and he has maintained this position despite pressure from Democrats in Maryland and DC. Ferguson has declined to commit to putting redistricting up for a vote in the state Senate.
Moore went to the Capitol last week to huddle with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. While in Washington, Moore repeatedly urged Ferguson to put the measure up for a vote and said he believed it had the support to pass.
So far, Ferguson remains unmoved.
