By Elijah Noyes | Edited June 2nd, 2026, 11:30am
As the 2026 Midterms roll around, Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson’s stance on redistricting has garnered nationwide attention. Yet, the man who had positioned himself as a staunch opponent of such efforts, is beginning to take a softer and more open tone. In a statement on May 22nd, obtained by WBAL-TV 11 News, Ferguson said, “Now, the rules have changed,” and that “Maryland must respond as the ground shifts under us.” He followed up saying that he is having active conversations with his caucus about proposing a special session with the aim of putting redistricting before voters in November. Proponents of redistricting see his shift as a necessary response to Trump’s growing success in map changing. Opponents, however, are more skeptical, and may see the national scrutiny as a primary challenge responsible for Ferguson’s shift.
The nationwide “redistricting war” began in the summer of 2025 when President Trump called on Texas state officials to redraw their congressional maps- an unprecedented mid-decade move. Democrats have done their best to respond, while Republicans have ramped up their efforts in other states as well. Currently, Democrats hold seven of the eight congressional seats in Maryland. In February, the Maryland House of Delegates passed House Bill 488, a redistricting and constitutional bill, that would flip the Republican seat. The measure would only take place if voters approved of the new map in a ballot referendum. Though, once it reached the Senate, Ferguson snuffed the House bill by sending it to the Rules Committee, where it was never brought up for a vote. He reasoned that such a change could risk Maryland’s democratic seats and would face intense legal challenges. That legal precedent comes primarily from a 2022 decision by a Maryland judge that threw out a democratic redistricting map.
Since the state legislature adjourned in early April, much has changed regarding the redistricting war, as well as Ferguson’s standing amongst fellow Democrats. In late April, the Louisiana Supreme Court made a landmark decision, striking down the state’s congressional map and finding that its compliance with the Voting Rights Act was unconstitutional due to racial gerrymandering. That decision has opened the door for the elimination of mostly democratic, majority-black districts, leading to more lost seats for Democrats. Beginning with Louisiana’s 6th congressional district, a barrage of southern states followed suit, working to erase democratic majority-black districts in Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Tennessee. That was only the beginning. Just weeks later, the Virginia Supreme Court delivered a massive blow to Democrats’ chances in 2026, striking down a voter-approved constitutional amendment that would have redrawn all 11 of the state’s congressional districts to favor Democrats.
Ferguson’s prior opposition to redistricting had landed him in a high-profile fight with Governor Wes Moore. The governor notably did not endorse the Senate president in his 2026 reelection bid. Ferguson is being primaried by Bobby Lapin, a social media influencer and former charter boat captain. One of Lapin’s central critiques of Ferguson is on the issue of redistricting where he has repeatedly called out Ferguson for preventing such legislation.
As control of Congress appears to be coming down to only a handful of seats, the future of Maryland’s congressional map, and Ferguson’s stance, will play a major role in 2026.
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