After reading about his opposition to redistricting in The Banner (Maryland won’t join Trump-inspired redistricting push, state Senate leader says, Oct. 29, 2025), I contacted my state senator, Bill Ferguson, urging him to support the governor’s effort.

Like many Marylanders, I am alarmed by the erosion of fair representation nationwide and wanted to know where my elected official stood. While I appreciate his apprehensions about reopening Maryland’s congressional maps, those concerns underestimate the stakes of this moment.

This caution is not neutral and comes with consequences. We cannot be so afraid of acting that we ignore the danger of doing nothing.

Across the country, Republican-led states are reopening congressional maps with a clear purpose: locking in power ahead of the 2026 elections. Maryland did not initiate this fight, but we are part of it, whether we like it or not.

Sen. Ferguson warns that redistricting could undermine public trust or invite legal risk. I see the opposite threat. Refusing to act while national representation is reshaped tells voters that process matters more than people. Trust erodes when citizens feel their voices are treated as expendable.

The risks of inaction are serious. If congressional power shifts elsewhere while Maryland stays on the sidelines, we’ll all suffer the consequences. Federal decisions on jobs, health care, infrastructure, disaster relief and civil rights do not pause while we debate process.

In October alone, 10,000 Maryland workers lost their jobs, while November brought the state’s highest unemployment rate since 2021. Representation matters because policy outcomes follow.

Leadership demands making difficult choices to defend democratic values. Maryland’s history was built by acting when the moment demanded it, not by waiting for perfect conditions. In this moment, inaction is not prudence. It is surrender.

Since Donald Trump returned to power in 2025, engaged citizens have called on their representatives to fight back. Too often, we have received hand-wringing instead of action.

This is a clear opportunity to respond. We understand the risks. We believe they are worth taking. We are asking our leaders to act, even when the outcome is uncertain. We are asking them to get caught trying.

Blaire Postman, Baltimore

Correction: This letter has been updated to correct the name of the letter writer.

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