Judge: Maryland congressional map is extreme partisan gerrymandering

March 25 (UPI) -- A judge Friday rejected Maryland's state congressional district political map, saying the General Assembly-approved map was "a product of extreme partisan gerrymandering."

In her decision, Judge Lynne A. Battaglia said the map "fails to pass constitutional muster."

She said the congressional district map was drawn "with partisanship as a predominant intent."

Two Republican groups challenged the map and the judge's decision agreed that Republican voters and candidates "are substantially adversely impacted" by the map.

The judge urged Maryland lawmakers to come up with a new congressional district plan that abides by Maryland's constitution.

Fair Maps Maryland, an anti-gerrymandering group linked to GOP Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, was one of the challengers of the map.

"To call this a big deal would be the understatement of the century. Judge Battaglia's ruling confirms what we have all known for years -- Maryland is ground zero for gerrymandering, our districts and political reality reek of it, and there is abundant proof that it is occurring," Fair Maps Maryland spokesman Doug Mayer said in a statement.

The judge's decision could be appealed to Maryland's Court of Appeals.