Maryland Gov. Wes Moore announced he is running for reelection in a video uploaded to his social media accounts on Tuesday.
Moore was elected for the position in 2022, making him Maryland’s first Black governor and the third Black governor to be elected in United States history.
Moore’s official bid for governor comes two days after an interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press” where he affirmed his commitment to serving a full term as governor. He also said he is not planning to run in the 2028 presidential election.
“I’m proud that we just launched our reelection campaign today,” he said during a speech at a union town hall at the University of Maryland on Tuesday.
Moore discussed his efforts to address crime rates, affordability, taxes and the state budget deficit during his first term in Tuesday’s announcement.
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During the video, Moore touted his administration’s contribution to lowering Baltimore’s homicide rate by 24.3 percent compared to this time last year. That’s the lowest it has been in 50 years, Moore said in his announcement video.
He also discussed reopening the Port of Baltimore in 11 weeks following the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in March 2024. Moore said the reopening occurred much earlier than officials anticipated.
“We came into office with bold ideas and a new sense of urgency,” Moore said.
Moore’s announcement also comes amid rising tensions between him and U.S. President Donald Trump. Moore said in his announcement video that while he stands up for middle class Maryland residents, the president “is bending over backwards for billionaires and big corporations.”
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During his speech at the university on Tuesday, Moore criticized Trump for multiple actions that he took in the beginning of his second term, including firing federal workers, denying disaster relief funding and trying to limit collective bargaining.
“Let’s be clear, I’m not going to be quiet,” Moore said. “I’m not just going to sit there in the corner. I’m not going to watch you hurt my people.”
The two leaders have also clashed about public safety in Baltimore after the president threatened to send the National Guard to the city.
“I’m a person of action,” Moore said in his announcement video. “We are moving forward fast, across the state and party lines to prove to a dysfunctional Washington that there is a better way forward.”
Moore served as a combat soldier for the U.S. Army in Afghanistan before running for his first term as governor. He also worked as CEO of the Robin Hood Foundation, an organization that works to fight poverty in New York, and founded BridgeEdU, which aims to help students succeed in college.
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The primary gubernatorial election day is on June 23, 2026 and the deadline to file as a candidate is Feb. 24 the same year.
Only one other Democrat — retired teacher Ralph Jaffe — has formally filed for the primary election.
Two Republicans have also filed for the election, including John Myrick — a federal consultant and Air Force veteran — and Carl Brunner Jr., who is a firearm instructor.
Staff writer Lillian Glaros contributed to this story.
