House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries visits Maryland to push for redistricting

U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries met with Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson to discuss mid-cycle redistricting in Maryland.

Earlier this month, the Maryland House of Delegates approved a recommended congressional map. The map redraws the 1st Congressional District, expanding it across the Chesapeake Bay into parts of Anne Arundel and Howard counties, and shifts several other districts.

The State Senate has to approve the legislation before it can head to the governor's desk.

Jeffries meets with Maryland's Senate President

House Minority Leader Jeffries appeared in Annapolis Wednesday morning after asking for a meeting with Senate President Ferguson Tuesday, according to a source with knowledge of the meeting.

The source said the meeting was cordial and constructive. 

The two had broad agreements for the roughly 45-minute meeting. They focused on legal merits, the risk when it comes to redistricting and threats from the Trump administration.

"We made clear our view that a strong, forceful Democratic response is necessary," Jeffries said.

Senate President Ferguson wrote in a statement: 

"I appreciated the meeting with Leader Jeffries this morning. It's precisely because we want Leader Jeffries in the majority that most members in the Maryland Senate Democratic Caucus do not support moving forward with mid-cycle redistricting that will backfire in our State courts and lose Democrats in Congress."

The statement continued, "In addition to redistricting, we also discussed the importance of responding to the lawless Trump Administration through economic, social, and immigration policies. The Senate of Maryland will continue advancing legislation that responds to Project 2025 by protecting Marylanders from this reckless federal Administration as systematically as they are pursuing it, and stands ready to partner with anyone working towards that shared objective."

Jeffries said Democrats must respond as the Trump administration, "to gerrymander congressional maps in red states across the country with the sole intention of rigging the mid-term elections."

A source added that Ferguson reaffirmed to Jeffries that there were not enough votes in support of moving forward with redistricting from Maryland Senate Democrats. The source said it doesn't seem as if Ferguson was moved following his meeting with Jeffries. 

"It's a competitive map that allows for three or four districts at any given point in time to be won by either a Democrat or a Republican," Jeffries said.

Maryland Republicans respond to meeting

Maryland Republicans consider the House approved congressional map far from fair.

"This has nothing to do with fairness," said State Delegate and Maryland Freedom Caucus Chairman Matt Morgan. "This has everything to do with Hakeem Jeffries and congressional Democrats trying to get the majority."

The Maryland Freedom Caucus said the meeting delated the House Floor session.

"It doesn't go unnoticed that New York comes down here and interjects themselves in the Maryland legislative process," State Del. Morgan said. "We're late on the floor. Once again, he came here with the purposes of putting pressure on our Senate President."

The Maryland Freedom Caucus said the focus in Maryland should be shifted onto other concerns and not on redistricting.

The group wrote in a statement:

"At a time when Maryland families are asking for relief — lower energy costs, attainable homeownership, and stronger educational outcomes — Congressional Democrats instead are bullying state senators to disenfranchise Maryland voters. Marylander expect their elected officials to focus on affordability, opportunity, and accountability, not outside political interference in state legislative matters."