Democrat Congressman Pushes Maryland To Redistrict In Retaliation For Indiana Changes

Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin (D) is urging fellow Democrats in Annapolis to revisit a stalled mid-decade redistricting push, arguing that if Republicans proceed with similar efforts elsewhere, Maryland Democrats should respond in kind.

In a podcast interview on The New Republic’s “The Daily Blast With Greg Sargent,” Raskin criticized resistance from Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson (D), who cited multiple reasons for shelving his party’s redistricting effort in October—including concerns that Maryland moving first could encourage other states to follow suit.

Raskin said Ferguson pointed to a conversation with GOP leadership in Indiana as part of his rationale.

“One of the reasons he invoked for it was that he said he had spoken to the Republican president of the Indiana Senate, who said he was going to stay out,” Raskin, a former constitutional law professor, said in the interview.

Raskin then suggested that if Indiana Republicans don’t “stay out,” it should increase pressure on Ferguson to change course.

“Well, if he doesn’t stay out, that is going to redouble everybody’s determination to change Bill Ferguson’s mind,” Raskin continued.

“I mean, there’s nothing remotely ethical or moral about unilaterally disarming before authoritarians in a game that they’ve created. I mean, they want to essentially declare Congress Republican before a single vote is cast.”

Meanwhile, Indiana lawmakers are moving forward with their own redistricting proposal. A GOP-drawn congressional map narrowly advanced out of committee on Monday and is headed to the state Senate floor, where it could face a vote on Thursday. The state House passed the map last week. Indiana is the latest state to consider a mid-cycle redistricting push reportedly encouraged by President Trump.

Raskin argued that if Indiana passes new maps, Democrats in Maryland will face greater political pressure to act—and quickly.

“Every seat counts. I mean, we’re down three seats right now. I mean, this is, you know, we’re like in the trenches in World War One and we’re fighting for every district. Nobody’s got the luxury of saying, ‘Well, we’re above this,’” Raskin said in the interview.

Raskin also rejected the claim that a redistricting push in Maryland would undermine democracy. Instead, he framed the effort as Democrats trying to counterbalance what he described as long-running Republican advantages in the political mapmaking process.

“To deprive the majority in Maryland of being able to do what majorities are doing all around the country is an essential deprivation of our ability to participate effectively in the national political process,” Raskin said.

Raskin walked through several of Ferguson’s arguments against reopening redistricting but said he ultimately expects Maryland Democrats to move forward. The goal would be to make the state’s lone Republican-held congressional seat—currently represented by Rep. Andy Harris—more competitive for Democrats.

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