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Governor O'Malley: Redisricting Plan to Elect a Democrat

Governor Martin O'Malley, Website

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) - Former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley has testified it was "part of my intent" to shift a congressional district long held by a Republican to a Democrat, when the state redrew the state's eight districts in 2011.

O'Malley's April deposition in a federal lawsuit was recently made public.

O'Malley, a Democrat whose office held strong influence over redistricting, testified that while he intended to comply with the law, he also intended to "create a district where the people would be more likely to elect a Democrat than a Republican."

The Republican incumbent ended up losing in the newly drawn district.

Plaintiffs in the lawsuit allege state officials redrew Maryland's districts based on party registration and voting histories. They're asking a three-judge panel to prevent the state from enforcing its congressional map.

Don Rush is the News Director at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.