Maryland Democrats have rejected an effort to redraw the state’s congressional map to boost their party’s chances in the midterm elections, a setback for Gov. Wes Moore who put his clout behind the attempt to blunt President Donald Trump’s own redistricting campaign.
The clock officially ran out on the proposal late Monday night as the state legislative session ended, a casualty of internal party disagreements. In the end, the Maryland Senate left the bill in a committee, with Democrats who control the chamber concerned it could backfire under judicial review.
The unusual mid-decade redistricting, which started when Trump encouraged Republican-controlled Texas to redraw their map last year, is expected to continue next week. Republicans want to change congressional boundaries during a special legislative session in Florida, while Democrats are asking voters to approve a redistricting referendum in Virginia.
But Democrats will not be poised to pick up a seat in Maryland, where the proposed map would have made it easier for voters to oust the state’s lone Republican member of the U.S. House.
In a last-minute move on the last day of the legislative session Monday, lawmakers gave approval to making the mighty, extinct shark a state symbol.
The megalodon is the largest shark to have ever lived, growing to 80 feet. Beachcombers regularly find its massive teeth along the Chesapeake Bay.
The legislation awaits Gov. Wes Moore’s signature.
Researchers at the Calvert Marine Museum in Solomons Island led the effort to get a state shark.
Regularly might be overstating it just a bit, although I'm pretty sure one or two are found fairly routinely among all the people looking.
At least they won't have to create any legislation to protect the megalodon. Consider yourselves lucky.
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