Maryland House Passes Mid‑Decade Map Targeting Rep. Andy Harris
House Bill 488 passed 99-37 on Feb. 2, 2026, advancing a map that could flip Rep. Andy Harris’s seat for the 2026 elections.
Overview
The Maryland House of Delegates passed House Bill 488 on Feb. 2, 2026, approving a new congressional map designed to make it easier for Democrats to defeat Republican U.S. Rep. Andy Harris, by a vote of 99-37, records show.
The measure, pushed by Gov. Wes Moore's redistricting advisory commission, would take effect for the 2026 elections and includes a constitutional amendment provision to extend the map for two additional cycles, supporters said.
Senate President Bill Ferguson, a Baltimore Democrat, said the bill lacks enough support in the Maryland Senate and warned mid‑decade redistricting could prompt legal challenges and jeopardize at least one Democratic seat, his spokesperson David Schuhlein said.
Democrats currently hold seven of Maryland's eight U.S. House seats and the proposed map would aim to flip Rep. Andy Harris's Eastern Shore district, potentially affecting the Feb. 24, 2026 candidate filing deadline and the June 23, 2026 primary, election officials said.
The bill now goes to the Maryland Senate, where its fate is uncertain and legal challenges are likely that could lead courts to impose districts or delay parts of the 2026 calendar, legal experts warned.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources treat this coverage as neutral: they present balanced perspectives—Democratic motives and critiques of Trump, Republican objections about partisan politics, and Senate procedural/legal concerns—using attributed quotes and factual context (court rulings, filing deadlines). Language is descriptive rather than evaluative, and no significant viewpoint appears omitted.
Sources (3)
FAQ
House Bill 488 passed the Maryland House of Delegates 99-37 on February 2, 2026, and now advances to the Maryland Senate, where its passage is uncertain.
Rep. Andy Harris is the Republican U.S. Representative holding Maryland's Eastern Shore district, the only GOP-held seat among the state's eight congressional districts; the proposed map aims to redraw boundaries to make it easier for Democrats to flip his seat in 2026.[3]
The map would apply to the 2026 elections, affecting the February 24, 2026 candidate filing deadline and June 23, 2026 primary; it includes a constitutional amendment for possible extension to 2028 and 2030 via voter referendum, but could face legal challenges delaying the process.
Senate President Bill Ferguson indicated insufficient Senate support and warned of legal challenges that could jeopardize a Democratic seat; Republicans proposed amendments to apply compactness standards and remove the ballot referendum, which were defeated.[3]
The bill details new boundaries for Maryland's eight congressional districts, such as specific precincts in election districts, census tracts, wards in Baltimore, and parts of Baltimore County, overriding standard timelines for the 2026 elections.[1]
History
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