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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 and Senior Producer of News and Public Affairs 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.