Maryland Governor's Redistricting Plan Advances Despite Senate President's Opposition

Democratic Gov. Wes Moore's congressional redistricting bill moves forward after party-line vote in House committee

Jan. 28, 2026 at 11:47am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Maryland Governor Wes Moore's congressional redistricting bill is headed to the House floor after the House Rules and Nominations Committee approved the bill in a party-line vote. Moore, a Democrat, said the state needed to act to counter what he called 'political redlining' by former President Trump in other states at the cost of Black representation in Congress. However, the push for mid-decade redistricting has run into opposition from a key fellow Democrat, state Senate President Bill Ferguson, who says it could backfire and potentially cost a Democratic seat.

Why it matters

Redistricting is a highly contentious political process that can have significant implications for the balance of power in Congress. Governor Moore's efforts to redraw district lines mid-decade are seen as an attempt to counter Republican gerrymandering in other states, but his own party's Senate president warns that it could lead to legal challenges and potentially cost Democrats a seat.

The details

Governor Moore's redistricting bill was approved by the House Rules and Nominations Committee in a party-line vote, setting it up for a vote on the House floor. Moore, the nation's only serving Black governor, said the state needed to act to counter what he called 'political redlining' by former President Trump in other states at the cost of Black representation in Congress. However, the push for mid-decade redistricting has run into opposition from state Senate President Bill Ferguson, a fellow Democrat, who says it could backfire and potentially cost a Democratic seat. Ferguson pointed out that a map adopted in 2021 that would have made it easier to flip a Republican-held seat was ruled unconstitutional by a judge who called it 'a product of extreme partisan gerrymandering'.

  • On January 27, 2026, the House Rules and Nominations Committee approved Governor Moore's redistricting bill in a party-line vote.
  • In 2021, Maryland passed a map that would have made it easier to flip a Republican-held seat, but it was ruled unconstitutional by a judge.
  • In 2022, Maryland passed another map, and a legal fight was dropped.

The players

Wes Moore

The Democratic governor of Maryland who is pushing for mid-decade redistricting to counter what he calls 'political redlining' by former President Trump.

Bill Ferguson

The Democratic state Senate president who opposes Governor Moore's push for redistricting, warning that it could backfire and potentially cost a Democratic seat.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“So no, I will not sit quiet. And the audacity of those who are telling me to do so shows that they have no understanding of the journey of so many who came before us.”

— Wes Moore, Governor

“I understand that people have differences of opinion, but I don't see that shifting here.”

— Bill Ferguson, State Senate President

What’s next

The redistricting bill will now move to a vote on the House floor, where it is expected to pass along party lines. However, it still faces opposition from the Democratic state Senate president, who warns that it could lead to legal challenges and potentially cost a Democratic seat.

The takeaway

Governor Moore's push for mid-decade redistricting highlights the ongoing partisan battles over gerrymandering and the balance of power in Congress. While the governor argues that the state needs to act to counter Republican efforts to limit Black representation, his own party's Senate president warns that the move could backfire and potentially cost Democrats a seat.