Eastern Shore secession idea surfaces in Maryland House amid redistricting

Maryland Republican delegate Thomas Hutchinson floated a non-binding bill to survey the nine Eastern Shore counties about seceding from Maryland to form a new state—potentially called “Mardelva” and including Southern Delaware and parts of Virginia—part of a broader debate tied to redistricting. His amendment, which would also alter district lines (exiling Cecil County for Anne Arundel), failed in a voice vote, but the issue fuels ongoing controversy as Maryland voters head to November to decide a new map that could bolster Democratic control.