Maryland Democratic Governor Wes Moore is facing accusations of hypocrisy for condemning "tribal" politics while simultaneously pushing for a redistricting effort that opponents claim will disenfranchise Republican voters. The criticism comes as Moore has called a special session of the Maryland General Assembly, scheduled to begin August 3, to consider a constitutional amendment on congressional redistricting.
Moore, who has been mentioned as a potential presidential candidate in 2028, delivered an Independence Day speech in which he stated, "too many feel that our politics has become tribal, that our political system once felt like a gift, but the politics of today feel like a grift." He also distinguished between patriotism and nationalism, suggesting that nationalism can be used to "justify pulling books from schools and rewriting history until it comforts those in power."
Critics, including Haven Shoemaker, the state attorney for Carroll County, have pointed to the timing of Moore's remarks. "On the basis of what you would have to characterize as tribalism, he is going to convene a special session of the Maryland General Assembly to redistrict Maryland's only Republican congressman out of office. Sounds like tribalism to me," Shoemaker told Fox News Digital. Shoemaker, a former member of the Maryland House of Delegates, argued that Moore's focus on national political positioning has overshadowed the needs of Marylanders, citing high taxes and cost-of-living issues as reasons for residents leaving the state.
The special session follows months of efforts by Moore and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries to advance a redistricting plan that would likely remove the state's lone Republican-held district. An earlier attempt to pass a redistricting bill stalled, with Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson expressing concerns that the proposed map was "objectively unconstitutional" and carried "catastrophic" downside risk for Democrats.
Following the announcement of the special session, Moore released a statement emphasizing the need to act on voting rights and fair representation. "For months, I have said that inaction is not an option and we cannot sit on the sidelines while voting rights, fair representation, and the foundations of our democracy come under attack across the country," he said. "My administration will work closely with the General Assembly as they consider legislation to ensure our state has the tools necessary to protect voters and defend fair representation."
Republican leaders have also voiced opposition. Matt Morgan, chair of the Maryland Freedom Caucus, characterized the redistricting push as a "blatant partisan effort to rewrite the Maryland Constitution so Democrats can gerrymander away Rep. Andy Harris’s seat and silence rural and conservative voices." Morgan added that the special session call is ill-timed given the economic pressures faced by Maryland families.
Shoemaker also criticized Moore's remarks on nationalism, asserting that "patriotism means that you love your country," while nationalism "means that your country is exceptional." He expressed concern that such rhetoric dismisses the idea of American exceptionalism and aligns with what he perceives as a revisionist approach to history and education policies, such as challenges to book removals in public schools.