After spending a long time working on this, I finally was a able to create an 8-0 map that satisfies all my goals:
1. Keep the Eastern Shore intact
2. Maintain both black-majority districts
3. Make most districts about 60% Obama
All Democratic incumbents live in their districts, with the exception of Steny Hoyer, but he basically lives in DC anyway, and as long as he maintains a residence in Maryland, it doesn't matter if he lives in his district. Plus, as part of leadership, he would be fine with it in order to add two more Democrats to Congress.
All but one district has population deviation under 1000 and Generic D/R numbers reflect all 2006-2008 statewide races.
Here's the map:
Baltimore-area Close-up:
MD-1: Andy Harris (R-Cockeysville)
This contains the entire Eastern Shore with arms into Annapolis, as well as black areas of Prince George's County. Harris is actually drawn into the black-majority 7th district, but would likely run here. He could also run in the 2nd, but he'd have a better shot here, since it doesn't have a Democratic incumbent and is the least Democratic district in the state. Either way, Harris is probably toast, since this district goes from R+13 to D+4. Harris couldn't even win that district in 2008 when it went 58-40 for McCain, so he's screwed here. Frank Kratovil would win this easily if he wanted to make a comback, but this district is blue enough for someone more liberal.
White: 61.3%, Black: 29.5%; VAP: White: 64.3%, Black: 28.0%
Obama: 56.6%, McCain: 42.1%; Average D: 57.5%, Average R: 42.5%
Lean/Likely D
MD-2: Dutch Ruppersberger (D-Cockeysville)
It loses about 1.5% of the Obama percentage, and goes from D+7 to D+6, but it includes the racist, yet Democratic towns of Dundalk and Essex, which will vote for pretty much any white Democrat, which is illustrated in how the Average D numbers are 4.4% higher than the Obama numbers. Ruppersberger should be safe, as he hasn't fallen below 64% in any re-election campaign.
White: 62.0%, Black: 26.3%; VAP: White: 65.5%, Black: 24.1%
Obama: 58.4%, McCain: 39.5%; Average D: 62.8%, Average R: 37.2%
Safe D
MD-3: John Sarbanes (D-Towson)
The district goes from D+6 to D+7, while simultaneously getting cleaner lines. It remains safe for Sarbanes, who has never received fewer than 61% of the vote during his three elections.
White: 58.6%, Black: 22.6%; VAP: White: 61.0%, Black: 21.9%
Obama: 60.1%, McCain: 38.0%; Average D: 60.6%, Average R: 39.4%
Safe D
MD-4: Donna Edwards (D-Fort Washington)
The black-majority district takes in Republican St. Mary's and Calvert Counties, as well as Republican areas of Anne Arundel County. As a result the PVI drops from D+31 to D+19.
Black: 50.9%, White: 38.8%; VAP: Black: 50.6%, White: 40.3%
Obama: 72.0%, McCain: 27.1%; Average D: 72.8%, Average R: 27.2%
Safe D
MD-5: Steny Hoyer (D-Mechanicsville)
The district goes from D+11 to about D+7, but Hoyer is still safe. He hasn't fallen below 64% since 1996, when the district was more Republican. His legal residence is no longer in the district, but it shouldn't matter too much, as I explained in the intro.
White: 50.4%, Black: 26.5%, Hispanic: 15.1%
VAP: White: 53.0%, Black: 25.9%, Hispanic: 13.6%
Obama: 60.2%, McCain: 38.1%; Average D: 61.7%, Average R: 38.3%
Safe D
MD-6: Roscoe Bartlett (R-Frederick)
The district is split in two, with each connected to dark blue Montgomery County, which drowns out all the rural Republican areas. Since Bartlett will be 86 in 2012, he may decide to retire, rather than lose re-election to an 11th term. The district goes from R+13 to D+7.
White: 55.5%, Hispanic: 15.6%, Black: 14.6%, Asian: 11.4%
VAP: White: 58.2%, Hispanic: 14.3%, Black: 13.9%, Asian: 11.6%
Obama: 60.4%, McCain: 38.0%; Average D: 59.9%, Average R: 40.1%
Likely D vs Bartlett, Safe D otherwise
MD-7: Elijah Cummings (D-Baltimore)
The black-majority district takes in a bunch of deep red rural precincts in Baltimore and Harford Counties. The VAP reaches the black-majority threshold by just 177 people. The PVI takes a hit from D+25 to D+15.
Black: 51.7%, White: 40.8%; VAP: Black: 50.0%, White: 43.1%
Obama: 67.6%, McCain: 30.8%; Average D: 66.6%, Average R: 33.4%
Safe D
MD-8: Chris Van Hollen (D-Kensington)
It loses a ton of Democrats, going from D+21 to D+7, but remains safe for Van Hollen, as the Montgomery County liberals drown out all the rural Republicans.
White: 70.2%, Black: 10.1%; VAP: White: 71.7%, Black: 10.1%
Obama: 60.1%, McCain: 38.3%; Average D: 61.5%, Average R: 38.5%
Safe D
To sum it up, all six Democratic incumbents are protected in 58%+ Obama districts, with five of them over 60% Obama. Both Republican incumbents, Bartlett and Harris, get knocked out, with Bartlett put in a 60% Obama district. Harris would be in trouble in even an R+5 district, and gets put in a D+4 district. This is the only one that the Republicans would have any shot at, but pretty much any competent Democrat would hold on, as D+4 is pretty much right at the edge of what even a moderate Republican could win. So, we have 7 guaranteed seats, plus one that we would likely hold barring another 2010, and even then we still could hold on. I think this map pretty much proves there is no reason whatsoever to make a GOP vote sink, when this is possible without horrendous lines.