ANNAPOLIS – Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley signed the overhaul of the state’s eight congressional districts into law Thursday, prompting two Montgomery County lawmakers to begin preparing campaigns for Congress. Former County Councilwoman Duchy Trachtenberg announced her plans to run for the changed 6th District, which now stretches from Garrett, Allegany and Washington counties in Western Maryland to northern and western Montgomery County.
Explaining her decision, Trachtenberg pointed out that 48 percent of the residents in the district live in Montgomery County.
“I represented nearly half of the new district as an at-large representative on the County Council,” Trachtenberg said in a statement on her campaign website. “I’ll work just as hard for all the people in the new 6th Congressional District.”
State Sen. Rob Garagiola, D-Montgomery County, has set up a committee to explore the possibility of running for the seat, which has been held by Republican U.S. Rep. Roscoe Bartlett for 10 terms.
Bartlett said this week he would seek re-election.
The map has been criticized as a political ploy to get a Democrat elected in the typically Republican district, part of the effort by Democrats to reclaim a majority in the House of Representatives.
Critics have pointed to how difficult the district will be to represent.
“I don’t know how long that drive’s going to be from one end of that district from the other,” said state Sen. E.J. Pipkin, R-Eastern Shore.
But supporters insist the change will not hurt Western Maryland residents.
“I extend a hand of friendship to my Western Maryland colleagues,” said Del. Kirill Reznik, D-Montgomery County. – Rachel Baye
