The population of African Americans and Hispanics would grow by roughly 130 percent in the district represented by Republican Rep. Roscoe Bartlett, R-Md., under a new congressional map proposed by Maryland lawmakers.
The map threatens the safety of Bartlett — one of two Republican representatives in the eight-district state — by lopping off Republican-leaning counties from his Sixth Congressional District, including Frederick, Carroll and parts of Baltimore counties, while adding a hefty portion of the heavily Democratic Montgomery County.
The result would increase the number of Hispanics in Bartlett’s district by 166 percent and increase the number of African Americans by 103 percent, according to figures provided by the Maryland Democratic Party.
The additional minority populations would primarily come from District 8, which is represented by Democratic Rep. Chris Van Hollen and currently encompasses parts of Montgomery County that would be lost to Bartlett’s district under the new proposal.
Hispanics and African Americans would remain a minority in Bartlett’s district, however, comprising roughly 23 percent of the total population under the new proposal.
The Maryland General Assembly plans to vote on the new map by the end of the month, with a special session scheduled to begin Oct. 17.
