Maryland maps have obviously been popular here lately, so I figured I'd try my hand at an 8-0 map. I have little doubt that I've either committed some parochial faux pas (but at least I didn't split the Eastern Shore!) or would somehow offend one or more congresspeople. So, I'm curious to get some feedback as to why this map wouldn't work.
In any case, these were my objectives, all of which were met:
1) Create two 52% African American VAP districts.
2) Keep all the other Democratic congressmen in a 60% Obama district that includes their residence (the residence part forces a much more convoluted map than would otherwise be necessary, because of Ruppersberger and Sarbanes being inconveniently situated).
3) Turn both MD-01 (Harris) and MD-06 (Bartlett) into Obama districts.
Here's a statewide map and a closer view, with the stats to follow:
MD-01 (Harris-R)
Obama: 52.0%
McCain: 46.4%
Harris doesn't actually live here anymore. Kratovil still does. To state the obvious, the point here is to attach the Eastern Shore to Baltimore.
MD-02 (Ruppersberger-D)
Obama: 60.0%
McCain: 38.2%
The basic principle is to wrap around MD-07 so as to pick up the Democrats of Howard County and then cap it off with some DC suburbs in the College Park area.
MD-03 (Sarbanes-D)
Obama: 60.0%
McCain: 38.0%
This district basically sidles in between the others. Since Sarbanes and Ruppersberger both live north of Baltimore, and since most of Baltimore has to be reserved for the MD-07 VRA seat and to flip MD-01 (under my mapping scheme) that means both MD-02 and MD-03 have to wrap around MD-07 to get to the DC suburbs.
In any event, this district works by taking north-central Baltimore and attaching it to northern Montgomery County and the Silver Spring/College Park area bordering DC.
MD-04 (Edwards-D)
Obama: 75.0%
McCain: 23.9%
52.0% black VAP
35.2% white VAP
Here I'm basically attaching the heavily minority parts of Prince George's County to the Republican leaning areas of Anne Arundel between Annapolis and Baltimore.
MD-05 (Hoyer-D)
Obama: 60.0%
McCain: 38.8%
Hoyer gets Annapolis in exchange for parts of Prince George's County that are needed to shore up other Democrats.
MD-06 (Bartlett-R)
Obama: 52.9%
McCain: 45.4%
This is the usual maneuver of attaching the Panhandle to heavily Democratic Montgomery County. I suspect one objection to my map may be that this MD-06 version isn't Democratic enough. What do y'all think?
It's worth noting here that if all the non-VRA Dem districts were dropped to 58% Obama instead of 60% Obama, then that should make it possible to push both MD-01 and MD-06 up above 55% Obama.
MD-07 (Cummings-D)
Obama: 74.9%
McCain: 23.7%
52.0% black VAP
39.0% white VAP
This seat mainly shifts away from Howard County and more toward Baltimore County so as to give MD-02 and MD-03 enough room to get down to the DC suburbs. It also gives up some parts of Baltimore City to help flip MD-01 and to shore up MD-03.
Harris now lives in this district. That's not an accident.
MD-08 (Van Hollen-D)
Obama: 60.0%
McCain: 38.1%
Here I'm negating the Republican vote northeast of Baltimore by attaching it to heavily Democratic central Montgomery County.
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So, needless to mention, feedback is very welcome! Is this a good mapping scheme overall? Are MD-01 and MD-06 sufficiently Democratic to flip the seats? Is there any reason to worry about any of the current Democrats under such a map? Should we settle for 7-1 when 8-0 is clearly within reach? Finally, have I trampled on some sacred, time-honored, and inviolable axiom of Maryland redistricting that I'm not aware of? Thanks!