I know a lot of people have been doing maps of Maryland since that one map was leaked out, but I wanted to try my hand at one anyway. I wanted to draw a map that would turn Rep. Bartlett's district blue, not hurt Rep. Sarbanes and Ruppersberger, and keep Rep. Harris' district within reach for someone like ex-Rep. Frank Kratovil or State Senator James Mathias.
Let's begin!
MD-01 (blue) - Andy Harris (R-Cockeysville)
44.1% Obama/54.1% McCain
This district moves four points to the left. It loses some of the reddest suburbs and exchanges them for purplish ones. This district could have been bluer, but that would require taking in Annapolis too. This district is within reach for Democrats against a flawed candidate like Harris, but would require a Dem wave year as well.
MD-02 (green) - Dutch Ruppersberger (D-Cockeysville)
57.4% Obama/40.5% McCain
Dutch's district becomes less ugly and is also used to sop up some of the red territory that used to belong to Rep. Bartlett.
MD-03 (dark magenta) - John Sarbanes (D-Towson)
57.9% Obama/40.1% McCain
This district also becomes less ugly, but doesn't go near Towson. Then again, it didn't even take in Towson to begin with.
MD-04 (red) - Donna Edwards (D-Fort Washington)
76.5% Obama/22.5% McCain
51.2% black (of VAP)
This district drops Germantown and goes up to take in more of the red northern regions that once belonged to Bartlett.
MD-05 (gold) - Steny Hoyer (D-Mechanicsville)
60.2% Obama/38.5% McCain
This district now stretches up to take in the red region south of Baltimore. Steny Hoyer and any Democrat is safe here.
MD-06 (teal) - Roscoe Bartlett (R-Frederick)
57.7% Obama/40.6% McCain
This district now goes into Montgomery County and loses a lot of red North Maryland territory. The result is a district prime for a Dem win. I think Bartlett will retire in this or a similar scenario.
MD-07 (dark grey) - Elijah Cummings (D-Baltimore)
70.2% Obama/28.3% McCain
50.1% black (of VAP)
I went kind of crazy here and used Cummings' district to take in a lot of red suburban Maryland from Bartlett, including all of Carroll County. I don't think they'll go this far when the real map comes out, but I had fun making it.
MD-08 (slate blue) - Chris van Hollen (D-Kensington)
71.8% Obama/26.7% McCain
Still a suburban D.C. district that also helps to screw over Bartlett. Van Hollen is as safe here as ever.
There you have it. My Maryland Congressional map that produces a 7-1 configuration, but doesn't concede the Republican district either. I hope you liked it and I hope that the real map that comes out of Governor O'Malley's office is no less than 7-1.