Maryland’s state delegates gave their approval Monday to a new map of congressional districts that gives Democrats a chance to sweep all eight seats.

But that may very well be the final vote on the matter, as the map heads to the state Senate, where all indications point to it stalling and failing.

Senate President Bill Ferguson, a Baltimore Democrat, remains opposed to redistricting on the grounds that it’s legally and politically risky.

The House of Delegates sent the ball to his court anyway, with Democrats arguing that it’s necessary to redistrict to elect more Democrats who can act as a counter to President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans.

“This map is not about getting eight Democrats. It’s about getting eight congressmen — Republicans or Democrats — to stand up against this poorly veiled autocratic autocracy,” said Del. C.T. Wilson, a Charles County Democrat and lead sponsor of the map.

In a lengthy speech, Wilson laid out numerous objectionable actions by Trump as reasons to redraw the map.

“If you love America, how can you stand by and watch one man destroy our institutions, the very foundations of our country?” Wilson asked.

The unofficial House vote was 99-37, well above the 85-vote threshold that was needed for passage.

Delegates spent nearly four hours debating the measure, even though the outcome was never in doubt.

Republicans focused much of their opposition on the process that resulted in the proposed map — rushed and not transparent, they argued — as well as their assertions that Democrats are just trying to get rid of U.S. Rep. Andy Harris, the state’s lone Republican in Congress.

“We’ve heard it plain and clear: It’s about retaliation against President Trump and congressional Republicans,” said Del. Kathy Szeliga, a Baltimore County Republican. “This bill is a deliberate, intentional effort to eliminate an entire political minority from Maryland’s congressional delegation.”

Democrats, meanwhile, appeared to have a coordinated strategy.

After Wilson spent nearly 30 minutes making a broad case for the new map, Democratic delegates stood up in turn to focus on specific ways the Trump administration and Republican-led Congress are hurting Americans. Each focused on a different issue: health care, education, the environment, minority-owned businesses, women, LGBTQ+ people and more.

Gov. Wes Moore, who has been pushing his fellow Democrats to redistrict, celebrated the vote in a statement and quickly went on cable TV to press the Senate to act on the map.

“This moment requires courage, and this moment requires a vote,” Moore said on MSNOW.

The map significantly redraws several districts to switch the Eastern Shore-based 1st Congressional District, currently held by Harris, from one that supported Trump by 17 points in the last election to one that would have supported Democrat Kamala Harris by 14 points.

The map accomplishes that by excising Cecil and Harford counties from the 1st District, and adding more liberal voters from parts of Anne Arundel and Howard counties.

The redistricting bill approved by the House also includes state constitutional amendments that Marylanders would vote on in the November election.

One provision would establish the new boundaries for not only the 2026 elections, but also 2028 and 2030.

The other provision would set a legal standard that the drawing of congressional districts need not consider compactness or existing boundaries — a provision in the state constitution that tanked the last attempt at an 8-0 Democratic map.

The map and constitutional amendments have had full-throated support from Moore, who has blitzed national media talking about the need to redistrict — though his advocacy appears to have strained his relationship with Ferguson.

House of Delegates Speaker Joseline Peña-Melnyk, a Prince George’s County Democrat, has also been supportive of redistricting, though less outwardly vocal about it. She guided her chamber through rounds of debate on the measure by repeatedly urging them to treat each other with respect and civility.

Peña-Melnyk said she voted for the bill “not because I can — it’s because I must.” She lamented the loss of civil rights and the “hostility” brought on by immigration enforcement.

After the vote, Peña-Melnyk went on MSNOW with Moore, where she said that the “dictatorship” must be addressed. “We cannot stay quiet — we have to act,” she said.

She then told local reporters that she hopes the overwhelming House vote influences senators. “We’re hoping that it moves them to do what’s right,” she said.

Now that the House has passed the map, it will head to the state Senate.

The measure is expected to be sent to the Senate Rules Committee, which is tasked with deciding whether bills should be sent to a regular committee for a hearing. The Rules Committee is stacked with Ferguson’s top leaders but meets infrequently.

Absent a change in opinion by Ferguson or the majority of Democratic senators, further action is not expected on the map.

Ferguson said Friday that his focus is not on redistricting, but rather on “fighting against the lawless Trump Administration where we can, where we have the highest likelihood of success.”