Gov. Larry Hogan is again pushing for Maryland to change how it draws legislative districts.
For the third consecutive year, Hogan is introducing a bill that creates what he says would be a nonpartisan commission to draw the districts, he announced Thursday
For the last two years, Hogan’s redistricting bill has died in committee. Democrats say they don’t want Maryland to give up Democratic seats in Congress without other states giving up Republican seats.
In fact, last year the legislature passed a bill saying Maryland would redraw its districts when five other states do, too. Hogan vetoed it.
When asked at a press conference Thursday if he would coordinate with Virginia — a state with a Republican-controlled legislature, a Democratic governor and a majority-Republican congressional delegation — Hogan dismissed the idea.
“We’d love to get Virginia on board, but like I said, we don’t want to wait for other states,” he said. “Somebody has to make the first move, and they’re not on board yet. And, again, what do other states have to do with our legislative districts?”
Hogan also announced he is signing onto a brief supporting the case challenging Maryland’s districts before the Supreme Court.