A Maryland judge has dropped the hammer on Democrats by ruling that the new U.S. House district maps are illegal gerrymandering.
The court’s decision comes as another huge blow to the Democrat Party as they face a likely red wave in the November midterm elections.
Judge Lynne Battaglia struck down new U.S. House district maps drawn by the Democrat-led state General Assembly, ruling the move to be an unconstitutional gerrymander that unfairly favors the Democratic Party.
In a 94-page ruling, Judge Battaglia ruled in favor of Republicans citing a 1972 amendment to the state constitution.
The amendment requires compact districts and orders legislators to consider natural boundaries and political subdivisions.
Battaglia ordered the General Assembly to draw new congressional district maps that actually follow the state constitution.
“Popular sovereignty is the paramount consideration in a republican, democratic government,” Battaglia wrote.
“The limitation of the undue extension of power by any branch of government must be exercised to ensure that the will of the people is heard, no matter under which political placard those governing reside.
“The 2021 Congressional Plan is unconstitutional, and subverts the will of those governed.”
Maryland court strikes down congressional map as illegal Democratic gerrymander https://t.co/ohN5C2uhka via @politico
— Bo Snerdley (@BoSnerdley) March 25, 2022
A lower Maryland court has tossed out the state’s new congressional map as an illegal Democratic gerrymander. An appeal is almost assuredly coming, but we could be getting new maps in the Free State https://t.co/AE1FQif5K3
— Zach Montellaro (@ZachMontellaro) March 25, 2022
Fair Maps Maryland said:
“Judge Battaglia’s ruling confirms what we have all known for years — Maryland is ground zero for gerrymandering, our districts and political reality reek of it, and there is abundant proof that it is occurring.
“Marylanders have been fighting for free and fair elections for decades and for the first time in our state’s shameful history of gerrymandering, we are at the precipice of ending it.”
From Politico:
A state court in Maryland has struck down the Democratic-drawn congressional map as an illegal partisan gerrymander, ordering the state legislature to redraw the lines for the 2022 election.
The new districts — which were drawn by the Democratic-dominated legislature and passed over the veto of Republican Gov. Larry Hogan — could result in an 8-0 sweep for Democrats in the state in blue-leaning years.
Seven districts in the state are solidly Democratic, while the lone Republican-held district in Maryland, the Eastern Shore seat currently occupied by GOP Rep. Andy Harris, was converted from a Republican vote sink into a hypercompetitive district.
President Joe Biden carried the new version by less than a percentage point in 2020.
