Federal judges ruled the District’s as it’s configured is unconstitutionally gerrymandered, and ordered it redrawn.
.
Frederick, Md (KM) The next step is up to the State of Maryland. Last week, a panel of federal judges that the 6th Congressional District, as it’s configured, is unconstitutionally gerrymandered and needs to be redrawn. The judges said the District was unfairly drawn to give an advantage to Democrats over Republicans. The panel says the District must be redrawn by March 7th, or the judges will do it.
“Now we’re waiting to see if the Attorney General appeals that to the Supreme Court,” says State Senator Michael Hough (R).
If Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh takes the case to the nation’s high court, it could have a national impact, not just tin Maryland. . “The Supreme Court really has never ruled on gerrymandering, and it could really have huge implications,” says Hough.
The 6th Congressional District was last drawn when Martin O’Malley (D) was Governor. It had been represented by former GOP Congressman Roscoe Bartlett for 20 year until he was defeated in 2012 by John Delaney (D). In last week’s general election, Democrat David Trone won the Congressional seat, beating Republican Amie Hober.
If the Supreme Court decides not to take up the case, or Attorney General Frosh doesn’t appeal, the new 6th District will need to be re-drawn by the Governor and the General Assembly. State Senator Hough says any plan submitted by Governor Larry Hogan could go down to defeat by the Democrat-majority legislature. “Obviously, the history of the General Assembly shows they still, after the election, maintain a super majority,” he says. “They’ve shown little or no willingness to change the appetite for gerrymandering. They’ve been pretty blatant about it;”
Following the 2010 general election, after a majority of Republicans took over state legislatures and governor’s offices, the GOP also gerrymandered congressional districts in many states, giving the Republican candidates an advantage, and limiting the number of seats where Democrats could compete. The Republicans continued to dominate the House of Representatives until last week’s general election, when the Democrats took control.
By Kevin McManus