Barred from a third term as county executive, Ruppersberger opted to run for Congress in 2002 after 2nd district Congressman Bob Ehrlich made what turned out to be a successful run for governor. The Maryland General Assembly significantly altered the 2nd by shifting most of its share of Harford County to the 1st and 6th districts. In its place, the legislature added a heavily Democratic portion of Baltimore City that had previously been in the 1st district. This turned the 2nd from a swing district into a strongly Democratic district.