DLCC Outlines Aggressive 13-State Redistricting Strategy for 2026 Midterms and Beyond
In response to a wave of Republican-led mid-decade redistricting and a series of favorable federal court rulings, national Democrats are shifting to an aggressive, proactive redistricting strategy. The latest and most significant flashpoint in this battle has erupted in Maryland, where the Democratic-controlled General Assembly has convened a highly controversial special legislative session to initiate a partisan redistricting plan aimed at dismantling the state's lone Republican congressional seat.
Maryland's Special Session to Enable Partisan Gerrymandering
On Monday, August 3, 2026, Maryland lawmakers kicked off a three-day special session in Annapolis. The primary goal of the session is to pass a constitutional amendment explicitly overriding state constitutional requirements for congressional maps1.2
Under the current Maryland Constitution, legislative districts must consist of "adjoining territory, be compact in form, and of substantially equal population," with "due regard given to natural boundaries and the boundaries of political subdivisions." While Democratic lawmakers have long argued that these rules should only apply to state legislative districts (not congressional maps), a 2022 state court ruling interpreted the constitution as prohibiting partisan gerrymandering of congressional maps, which blocked a previous Democratic-drawn map.
The proposed constitutional amendment would explicitly exempt congressional redistricting from these strict state-level standards, clearing a legal path for Democrats to redraw the state's map ahead of the 2028 presidential election. The immediate target is the state's 1st Congressional District, a GOP stronghold represented by Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.). By dismantling this district and spreading its conservative voters across neighboring Democratic-leaning districts, Maryland Democrats hope to secure an 8-0 clean sweep of the state's congressional delegation.
Countering Republican Mid-Decade Gerrymanders
Maryland's Democratic leadership, including House Speaker Joseline Peña-Melnyk and Senate President Bill Ferguson, has framed the special session as a necessary defensive measure to counter aggressive mid-decade redistricting campaigns by Republican-led legislatures in states like Texas and Florida.
House Majority Leader Del. David Moon (D) explained that his colleagues became convinced of the need to act after the Supreme Court's ruling in Louisiana v. Callais, which weakened minority protections under the Voting Rights Act and greenlit a wave of Southern Republican gerrymanders:
"Not only did they gut the Voting Rights Act, but the glee and speed with which Southern Republican leaders undertook reopening mid-decade redistricting in their states, I think, made quite plain what was going on. And the future of Black representation in the South is really called into question by a lot of the decisions that these leaders are making."
Because Democrats hold a supermajority in both chambers of the Maryland General Assembly, the legislation to put the constitutional amendment on the ballot is highly likely to pass the required three-fifths threshold during the special session. The final decision will then rest with Maryland voters on the November 2026 ballot.
Meanwhile, Maryland Republicans have launched a fierce campaign against the proposal, calling the special session "political theater" and "malpractice," and focusing their efforts on convincing voters to reject the amendment in November.
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An instance of A state cannot execute a partisan mid-decade redistricting plan without establishing an explicit state constitutional mandate. — Democratic lawmakers in Maryland are attempting to pass a constitutional amendment to clear the path for partisan mid-decade redistricting. ↩︎
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An instance of A partisan mid-decade redistricting push cannot succeed without bypass-ready state-level constitutional amendments. — Maryland Democrats are pushing a state constitutional amendment to override anti-gerrymandering protections and clear a path for partisan mid-decade redistricting. ↩︎