Md. Senate approves US House redistricting bill

ANNAPOLIS, Md. — The Maryland Senate approved Democratic Gov. Martin O'Malley's congressional redistricting plan on a 33-13 vote on Tuesday, and Democrats said the new map reflects necessary demographic changes while Republicans contended it favors party politics over the people.

All 12 of the Senate's Republicans voted against plan, and all but one Democrat voted for it. A House committee voted 18-5 in favor of the map Tuesday. The House is expected to vote on the bill Wednesday.

Supporters of the plan say the congressional map for the next 10 years reflects changing demographics in the suburbs of the nation's capital and up the Interstate 270 corridor.

Sen. Catherine Pugh, a Baltimore Democrat who chairs the Legislative Black Caucus, said the caucus initially set out to maintain two African-American districts, which the plan does. Pugh, who voted for the map, also noted that the black caucus was engaged in the redistricting process for more than a year, and a third majority-minority district could develop in the future in the 5th Congressional district in southern Maryland. Rep. Steny Hoyer, a member of the House Democratic leadership, currently holds the seat.

"We hired consultants. We put forth maps, and none of those maps showed a third African-American district, but what we did ask for was not to diminish Charles County, because we see the opportunity for a third African-American district there," Pugh said.

Republicans criticized the governor's proposal as a gerrymandered map designed to give a Democrat a much better chance to defeat Republican Rep. Roscoe Bartlett, who has held the 6th Congressional district seat in western Maryland since 1993. The GOP also attacked the plan for separating communities of interest, and forcing people from the Montgomery County suburbs into a district that has been traditionally rural.

"The only reason this was done was to attempt to elect a Democrat from the sixth district. It may or may not work, Mr. President," Sen. George Edwards, R-Garrett, said, referring to Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller, a Democrat who was on the redistricting advisory panel. "It may or may not work, because there is a lot of difference in the thinking."

The state's delegation to the U.S. House of Representatives includes six Democrats and two Republicans.

Sen. Delores Kelley, D-Baltimore County, said she supported the map because it would keep experienced lawmakers in office during difficult times.