Gov. Wes Moore (D-MD) formally launched his 2026 reelection campaign Tuesday, seeking a second term in Annapolis while fueling speculation that his rising national profile could position him for a White House run in 2028.
“It’s time to make it official: I’m running for re-election,” Moore wrote in a social media post accompanied by a campaign video. “Marylanders need a governor who will continue to look out for them and stand up for our jobs, our health care, and our rights. So, let’s get to work!”
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In his announcement video, Moore highlighted what he cast as key accomplishments from his first term: turning a budget deficit into a surplus, cutting taxes for veterans and the middle class, and presiding over Baltimore’s lowest homicide numbers in half a century.
Moore also used the moment to contrast himself with the Trump administration, criticizing “Washington games” and claiming the president is “bending over backwards for billionaires and big corporations.” He pledged to continue pursuing goals such as ending childhood poverty, strengthening public schools, and expanding housing affordability.
It’s time to make it official: I’m running for re-election.
— Wes Moore (@iamwesmoore) September 9, 2025
Marylanders need a governor who will continue to look out for them and stand up for our jobs, our health care, and our rights.
So, let’s get to work! https://t.co/33JIzGd92J pic.twitter.com/GxW5Ei0cZ5
The announcement drew a swift rebuke from Republicans in Annapolis.
The Maryland Freedom Caucus accused Moore of “presiding over the largest tax hike in Maryland history” and saddling working families with new fees.
“No speech can spin those facts away,” caucus leaders said in a press release, pointing to $1.66 billion in new taxes and fees they argue will hit drivers, small businesses, and utility customers. The group vowed to campaign on “lower taxes, reliable energy, real accountability, safe communities, and schools that work for parents and kids.”
Moore’s reelection kickoff comes against a backdrop of heightened public safety concerns in Baltimore, where residents have pressed leaders to sustain crime reductions.
A recent viral video showed a Baltimore man heckling Moore during a neighborhood walk, accusing him of staging “photo ops.”
And just days before his campaign launch, Moore and Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott announced an increase in law enforcement resources to counter a possible deployment of federal troops, following President Donald Trump’s threats to send the National Guard into Baltimore.
“We do not need an occupation,” Scott said at a joint news conference with the governor. “We do not need troops on our streets.”
While Moore insists his focus is on Maryland, his name is increasingly being floated in national Democratic circles as a possible 2028 contender.
The chatter intensified in early September when photos surfaced of Moore vacationing with his wife on actor George Clooney’s yacht in Italy. Moore’s office confirmed the trip as a celebration of the first lady’s 50th birthday, but political opponents criticized it and accused the governor of being out of touch as Maryland grapples with crime and economic pressures.
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Moore’s team defended the vacation as privately funded and noted that state police security is standard on all gubernatorial trips. Still, the optics fueled questions about whether Moore has already positioned himself as a national figure.
Moore’s campaign stressed that his immediate priority is securing a second term in a reliably Democratic state. But with national Democrats already searching for the next generation of leaders, his reelection bid will likely be watched as closely in Washington as it is in Annapolis.
“Are we good? Let’s get back to work,” Moore said in closing his campaign video.