Wes Moore Stands Up To Trump With Redistricting Commission

by Sharelle B. McNair

November 11, 2025

Moore announced the commission’s formation in early November in an effort to draw ‘fair maps,’ unlike his Republican counterparts.

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Maryland Gov. Wes Moore says he is standing up to President Donald Trump and Republicans’ redistricting scheme by creating a committee that could potentially push out the only seat held by a Republican in the state, CBS News reports. 

During a sit-down on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan,” Moore said he’s “not sure why we should be playing by a different set of rules than Texas, or than Florida, or than Ohio or all these other places,” highlighting the headlining push from red-leaning states to give in to Trump’s demand. The Democratic governor says the state will prove to be one that’s not afraid to fight back. “I want this bipartisan commission to be able to actually speak with the people and to be able to go through their process and just simply say that if other states are going to go through this process, that we’re not just going to sit on our hands because Donald Trump tells us to,” Moore said. 

“That’s not the way this process is going to work.” 

Moore announced the commission’s formation in early November 2025 to draw “fair maps,” unlike his Republican counterparts. In July 2025, Texas answered Trump’s call to redistrict Democratic areas for the GOP. However, state Democratic leaders protested by leaving the state to avoid a vote that could advance the mission. 

Maryland law outlines that congressional maps should be drawn by the state Assembly, a supermajority of Democrats. Moore would have to call a special session of the Assembly to move forward with the plan. Chaired by Maryland Sen. Angela Alsobrooks, the commission consists of Senate President Bill Ferguson, Maryland House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones, former Attorney General Brian Frosh, and Cumberland Mayor Raymond Morriss. 

However, leaders like Ferguson are seemingly opposed to the redistricting effort, citing high-risk legal issues in a letter. “Mid-cycle redistricting for Maryland presents a reality where the legal risks are too high, the timeline for action is dangerous, the downside risk to Democrats is catastrophic, and the certainty of our existing map would be undermined,” the Senate President wrote. 

But Moore says that, for democracy, nothing is too risky, as both he and Ferguson agree that Trump has taken things to the limit, and it’s time for a change. “Where we differ is the urgency that this moment requires, the fight that this moment requires,” Moore said. 

“And I personally am someone who is not going to allow Donald Trump to determine whether or not Maryland follows this idea of saying, are we going to do everything we can to make sure we’re preserving our democracy.”

The call for change comes after California voters’ historic vote to pass Proposition 50, according to The Hill, giving the state Legislature the green light to take over the state’s congressional maps until the state’s independent commission takes control in 2030.

The proposition received 64% support.

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