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David R. Brinkley, Maryland State Delegate.

The Gazette (MD) - December 20, 2001

Source: http://www.gazette.net/200151/frederick/news/84843-1.html

Redistricting upsets local lawmakers

by Sherry Greenfield

Frederick County is going to see big changes in the political arena in 2002.

The Governor's Redistricting Advisory Committee released its proposed lines for the state's legislative districts late Monday, and according to the plan, five incumbent Frederick County delegates will be fighting for three seats in District 4, leaving District 3 with all new faces.

Middletown and Brunswick would swap districts under the proposal, and Walkersville would be split between both districts.

Del. Louise Snodgrass and Del. Joseph Bartlett, both Middletown Republicans representing District 3, would join fellow GOPs Del. Paul Stull, David Brinkley and Donald Elliott in the race for District 4.

That could change, though. Bartlett is considering a move to Knoxville, which would put him in the new District 3B, and Brinkley has hinted that he may challenge Sen. Timothy Ferguson (R-Dist. 4) of Taylorsville for his Senate seat.

The only other incumbent delegate in the county, Del. Sue Hecht (D-Dist. 3) of Frederick, may try for that district's Senate seat, pitting her against Sen. Alex Mooney (R-Dist. 3) of Frederick.

The new lines are a result of 12 public meetings held across the state during the summer, which allowed Marylanders the opportunity to offer their input into the Governor's Redistricting Advisory Committee. Every 10 years, lawmakers must redraw the lines after the new Census population figures are released.

The committee will hold a public hearing on its recommended map from 10 a.m. to noon Friday in the Joint Hearing Room of the Legislative Services Building in Annapolis.

The draft then must be presented to Gov. Parris Glendening (D). He will review the recommendations and prepare his plan, which he must introduce to the Maryland General Assembly on Jan. 9 -- the first day of the legislative session.

Legislators will have 45 days to approve the governor's proposal or draw up another redistricting plan. If no proposal passes in the 45 days, the governor's plan automatically becomes law.

Large district

The proposed District 4 would encompass over two-thirds of Frederick County -- Middletown, Myersville, Wolfsville, Thurmont, Emmitsburg, Walkersville west of Route 194, New Market, Mount Airy, the eastern portion of Urbana -- and the western edge of Carroll County.

Putting so many GOP incumbents in the same race worries some local Republicans.

"This absolutely concerns us," said Chuck Jenkins, chairman of the county's Republican Central Committee. "It pits Republican against Republican."

But the move creates a solidly conservative district, virtually guaranteeing the party representation in the General Assembly.

"I'm disappointed that I'm going to lose Frederick City, but these are exciting times," said Snodgrass, who said she'd be challenged with the new, larger area.

Bartlett, on the other hand, is waiting to see the official map before deciding whether to move to Knoxville. "It's a very pleasurable district to represent," Bartlett said of his current area. "But it's going to be a challenge covering Carroll County."

Stull, who lives in Walkersville, is upset that his hometown is being split under the new plan. He is also concerned over the size of the proposed District 4.

"I don't like it at all," Stull said. "Why couldn't they divide the district into three subdistricts, with Louise in Middletown, Don in the east and I would be in Walkersville in the center. I just don't see why they take a small municipality and divide it."

New faces

With all the current delegates moving into District 4, the new District 3 is slated to feature new representatives and split into Sub-Districts 3A and 3B.

Several names have been floating around as potential candidates.

Charlie Smith, who served as delegate from 1974 to 1982, is considering another run. A resident of Knoxville, Smith, a conservative Democrat, would represent 3B.

"If the lines stay as is, I am 99 percent sure I'll run," Smith said. "I just haven't decided yet."

Smith said his experience would be an asset to the district. "I know that area like the back of my hand," he said.

Frederick County Commissioner Richard Weldon (R), Frederick City Alderman Meta Nash (D) and former Frederick City Mayor Ronald Young (D) are all names that are rumored to be considering a run.

Senate face-off

But it's the District 3 Senate race that could prove to be the most interesting.

Montgomery County Councilman Isiah Leggett (D), one of five people on the governor's redistricting committee, said partisan considerations were paramount as he and his colleagues drew the lines for Frederick.

"The big fight was to try to get Hecht at least a fighting shot against Mooney," he said.

Mooney is upset that under the new plan he would lose northern Frederick County and northern Washington County, both of which are home to largely conservative Republican voters.

Instead, he would represent southern Frederick and Washington counties, which include more Democratic voters. Frederick City, which is largely Democratic, would remain in District 3.

Mooney is also angry that his new district will include three state prisons in Washington County -- the Maryland Correctional Institute, Roxbury Correctional Institute and the Maryland Correctional Training Center. He points out that the inmates were counted in the population figures when the lines were drawn, but they are unable to vote.

He blames the outcome of the redistricting on Hecht.

"She worked to convince Annapolis to split the traditional communities in Frederick and Washington," he said.

But Hecht contends that this is not the district she asked for.

Hecht first asked that District 3 only include parts of Frederick County, not Washington. Residents in Washington County have conveyed to her that they would prefer their own resident representative.

"I didn't get what I wanted," she said. "Very few people got what they wanted."

Hecht is also not pleased with the split in Walkersville and the fact that she will represent a small portion of that area. She considers it wrong to split up municipalities.

"Actually the split doesn't make sense," she said. "I certainly didn't ask for Walkersville."

Staff writer Josh Kurtz contributed to this story.

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Authority: Friends of David R. Brinkley - Sallie M. Brinkley, Treasurer