From Sen. Nancy Jacobs:
On this Election Day you will be deciding much more than your choice of a candidate when you enter the polls. It’s been hard not to notice the advertising blitz on ballot issues also being decided November 6th. But, there is one ballot question that has not received as much attention regarding Congressional Redistricting. Yet, I believe it may be a very important one.
First, let me make an important disclaimer. I am running for Congress in District 2 as the Republican nominee. The newly drawn lines for that district do add more registered Democrats. That, of course, puts the Democrat incumbent at an advantage. The lines were drawn by Democrat leaders in Annapolis who aren’t shy about admitting that it was their intent to keep their own party in office, restrict competition and hold on to power in our state.
This self-serving redistricting map is a total disservice to voters. Just looking at it makes you realize something is definitely wrong. District 3 and District 2 look like blood splatter patterns. District 2 drips across four counties and weaves into a small section of Baltimore City. I believe it is unconscionable for Democrats to impose their selfish motives on voters!
A survey of redistricting by a geographic firm in Philadelphia finds Maryland the most gerrymandered state in the nation. Most importantly, this move by Democrats has divided like communities, cut up towns and counties by crossing boundary lines and broken apart minority neighborhood voting strength. Marylanders should be able to vote in a district with neighbors who have common interests.
It’s time for voters, Republican, Democrat or Independent, to tell Democrat Leadership in Annapolis the people’s interests are more important than partisan politics. I also believe such power over many years creates a system ripe for corruption, laziness and greed.
It’s time to stand up and vote AGAINST Question 5.
Stop whining State Senator Jacobs (it’s below you?) Every state does the same damn thing. And when Dutch destroys you today, please go back to Abingdon / Annapolis quietly until you finish your last term.
MD’s 3rd Congressional District: Third least compact district in the US as of 2012.
MD’s 6th Congressional District: Ninth
MD’s 2nd Congressional District: Eleventh
MD’s 1st Congressional District: 25th
Gerrymandering to protect incumbents is alive and well in MD. Why should the same district represent Havre de Grace, Dundalk and Owings Mills? Or Fells Point, Towson and Annapolis? Each area has distinctly different interests and priorities, but they’re grouped together under the same districts so each gets an influx of reliable Democrat voters.
Harford should be under one Congressional district, not split between the 1st, 2nd and 6th
Actually not every state. California for instance instituted an independent districting commission and that is why you have so many incumbent vs incumbent battles this year.
Uncommon cents, written like a true Democrat/liberal follower in Maryland. Congratulations.
Commensense has none. It’s only because his party of choice is the one chopping up the districts to their advantage or he would be crying foul also. Little dutchboy needs all the extra votes he can get or the redistricing would have been left alone.
Gerrymandering to the extent that it’s done in MD is a symptom of the many problems resulting whenever you have one party rule. There are many more conservatives in this state than will ever have thier views fairly represented because the ruling party will target whatever opposition opinion by deconstrucing the districts they represent. Dutch’s new district and the one designed specifically to get rid of Bartlett are a national disgrace. Truly this sort of perversion is nothing short of taxation without representation.
I agree that the gerrymandering in MD is at least unethical and at worst borders on criminal in its effort to stack the deck in Congressional Districts. Nancy will lose this race. Hopefully she will retire at the end of her term in Annapolis.
I hope Roscoe wins and the map goes down in defeat. Even Democrats like Peter Franchot are speaking out against this gerrymandering at its worst.
Provocative, disrespectful discourse of the kind that kicked off this thread almost goes hand-in-hand with Maryland’s “what are you gonna do about it” gerrymandering. It’s a shame people don’t honor the sacrifices laid down by so many to give us this democracy by prosecuting it more respectfully.
Martin wins! Roscoe Loses! One Party Domination! Today Maryland! Tommorrow the White House! Next Week The Vatican! 30 short years from now – Martin – God’s right hand man! Oops, Left hand man! It would be nice to live in a two-party state at some point.
I have seen reporting that Nancy Jacobs even lost in Harford County. Please read the writing on the wall and retire. I know this may be hard for you to accept but you are no longer wanted here.