Redistricting battles in Maryland and across the country are heading straight for the courts, and both parties are pushing the limits of a process that voters already distrust, Rep. Andy Harris, R-Md., told Newsmax.
"The average American thinks we should not use gerrymandering to a large extent," he said Wednesday on "Newsline."
And most people "absolutely think it probably shouldn't be done midcycle."
Yet midcycle remapping is exactly what's unfolding.
"The Republicans are participating. The Democrats are participating. I don't know where it all ends. But again, the courts are going to decide," Harris said.
The congressman pointed to Maryland as a prime example.
He said Democrats are preparing to challenge the boundaries of his district, setting up another courtroom showdown similar to the one that unfolded in 2022.
That case resulted in a judge striking down a proposed congressional map as an unconstitutional partisan gerrymander, a rare legal rebuke in a state where Democrats hold overwhelming legislative power.
Now, Harris argues, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore is setting the stage for another fight by establishing a redistricting commission that the congressman says is stacked in Democrats' favor.
"He appointed a commission that has four Democrats and then one nominal Republican who contributed to his election campaign," Harris claimed.
He also blasted Moore for dismissing concerns raised by a Washington Post editorial, saying the governor responded by effectively declaring he "didn't care" about potential Republican disenfranchisement.
According to Harris, Maryland's Constitution places limits on partisan influence that the governor cannot ignore. The previous court ruling, he said, made clear that crafting an overtly partisan map violates state law.
"He can't get an 8-0 map in Maryland — where two of our last four governors have been Republican — without drawing a partisan gerrymander," Harris argued.
As both parties maneuver for congressional advantage heading into the next election cycle, the Maryland case is shaping up to be another test of how far states can go in redrawing political boundaries.
Harris maintains the courts will be the final arbiters, not politicians. And with litigation already expected, Maryland voters may once again see their congressional map rewritten from the bench rather than the statehouse.
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Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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