Leaked MD Congressional District Plan Generating Pushback from MoCo Donna Edwards Supporters

A leaked map of Maryland's 2012 Congressional Districts made big news this month, as it appeared to show a Democratic preference for priming the 6th District for a takeover. The map revealed that one way to do that involved pushing Rep. Donna Edwards' 4th District almost completely out of Montgomery County. District 20-based PAC Progressive Neighbors issued this email alert today:

 

Progressive Members and Supporters of Progressive Neighbors,

 

If you are represented by Donna Edwards, please sign on to a letter in support of keeping her as our representative in Congress.  We are concerned about redistricting efforts that might remove Silver Spring and other downcounty areas from her district.  Donna has been a true progressive voice in Congress, and we need to keep her there.  Please send us an email  (to pnchange@gmail.com) giving us permission to affix your name to the letter below. We have been gathering names - our deadline is Oct. 6.

 

Thank you.  

 

Progressive Neighbors Steering Committee

 

 

 

LETTER TO BE SENT TO MARYLAND REDISTRICTING COMMITTEE

 

 

Committee on Maryland Redistricting
Linda C. Janey, J.D.

301 West Preston St., Baltimore, MD 21201 - 2365
(410) 767-4395; fax: (410) 767-4480
Email: Redistricting2011@mdp.state.md.us.

 

 

Dear Ms. Janey:

We, the undersigned, live in the Fourth Congressional District in Montgomery County.  We understand that shifting populations demand that Congressional district lines be redrawn, but we also know that we have been most ably represented by Congresswoman Edwards.  We do not want to lose her representation, and we urge the Committee not to let that happen.   

 

We are proud of our diversity and our unity.  We understand that there are competing pressures from forces outside our District to carve us up, but we are more than satisfied with the current boundaries and do not want them to change.

 

We write you to urge you to reject any proposed redistricting maps that would alter our current representation and not propose them to the Maryland legislature. 

 

Thank you for your thoughtful consideration of this matter.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

 

ORIGINAL EMAIL APPEAL TO PN MEMBERS AND SUPPORTERS

 

 

Dear Members and Friends of Progressive Neighbors,

 

As you are probably aware, Congresswoman Donna Edwards has been a strong and courageous progressive voice on issues ranging from the budget and taxation, to ending the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, to civil liberties, to many others. It now appears that efforts are underway by multiple groups to redraw her fourth Congressional District boundaries, removing the Montgomery County portions and leaving her more vulnerable to a challenger. It is important that we stand behind Donna and not let her voice be silenced.

 

Progressive Neighbors is asking those of you who live in Donna's Congressional District (the Fourth) to sign on to the letter below that will be sent to the Committee on Maryland Redistricting to make clear that citizens in the Fourth Congressional District want to continue to be represented by Donna Edwards.

 

We ask you to let us know that we can affix your name to this letter.  Please respond to this email as soon as possible, but no later than October 6, giving us permission to add your name and also telling us where you reside.  ( The email you will use in responding to this appeal is pn4change@gmail.com) 

 

We believe a letter signed by many people has more impact, but if you would prefer to write your own email, feel free to use the one below as a model (changing the “we” to “I”). The deadline for submitting comments to the Committee on Congressional Redistricting is Oct. 19.

 

Thank you.

 

Progressive Neighbors Steering Committee