By — Brian Witte, Associated Press Brian Witte, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/wes-moore-wins-governors-race-in-maryland Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Wes Moore wins governor’s race in Maryland Politics Updated on Nov 8, 2022 8:32 PM EDT — Published on Nov 8, 2022 8:11 PM EDT ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Democrat Wes Moore was elected Maryland’s first Black governor Tuesday, defeating Republican Dan Cox in a state where Democrats outnumber Republicans 2-1. WATCH LIVE: 2022 Midterm Elections | PBS NewsHour Special Coverage Moore’s victory flips a governor’s office from Republican to Democratic. Of the 36 governor’s races this year, Maryland and Massachusetts represented the best chances for Democrats to regain a governor’s office at a time when the GOP holds a 28-22 edge in governor’s seats. Republican Gov. Larry Hogan is term limited. Only two other Black politicians have ever been elected governor in the United States — Virginia’s Douglas Wilder in 1989, and Deval Patrick of Massachusetts in 2006. Democrat Stacey Abrams would become the nation’s first Black female governor if she wins her Georgia rematch against Republican Gov. Brian Kemp. With the slogan “leave no one behind,” the former combat veteran and former CEO of one of the nation’s largest anti-poverty organizations campaigned on creating equal opportunity for Maryland residents. “This can be Maryland’s moment,” Moore said in a debate last month. “We have amazing people and incredible potential, but not everybody’s in a position to succeed.” Moore, 44, defeated a first-term state legislator who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump, who only received 32 percent of the vote in Maryland in the 2020 presidential election. During their only debate, Moore criticized Cox for attending the “Stop the Steal” rally on Jan. 6, 2021, before Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol. Moore described Cox as “an extremist election-denier whose rhetoric and his policies are not only dangerous and divisive, but will take our state backwards.” Kevin Holmboe, who voted for Moore in Annapolis, Maryland, cited the candidate’s resume as a former combat veteran who served in Afghanistan as well as a Rhodes scholar with a business background as qualifications that jumped out at him. “He just had all the right things to lead me in that direction,” Holmboe, 60, said after voting for Moore. LIVE RESULTS: 2022 midterm election results and interactive maps The race was marked by Hogan’s refusal to support Cox, whom he has described as “a QAnon whack job” unfit for office. Republican voters who supported Cox said Trump’s endorsement of the candidate was significant to them. “Quite frankly, he’s a MAGA Republican,” said John Jacobs, 57, who voted for Cox in Annapolis, in a reference to Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan. While explaining his vote for Cox, Jacobs quickly pivoted to criticizing Hogan, who is weighing a presidential bid — potentially against Trump. “And Larry Hogan, who if my life depended on it I probably wouldn’t vote for him, and I’m a Republican, for president.” Cox organized bus trips for protesters to Washington for the “Stop the Steal” rally that preceded the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Cox has also said Biden’s victory should not have been certified and tweeted that former Vice President Mike Pence was a “traitor.” Cox later deleted the tweet and apologized. Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. Enter your email address Subscribe Form error message goes here. Thank you. Please check your inbox to confirm. Other candidates who ran for governor included David Lashar, of the Libertarian Party; Nancy Wallace, of the Green Party; and David Harding, of the Working Class Party. Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. Anthony Brown also is hoping to make history by becoming the state’s first Black attorney general. Brown, a three-term congressman representing a majority-Black district in the suburbs of the nation’s capital, served as lieutenant governor for eight years. He lost the 2014 governor’s race to Hogan before winning his U.S. House seat. Brown is running against Republican Michael Peroutka, a former Anne Arundel County Council member. A Republican has not been elected attorney general in Maryland since 1919. Edward D.E. Rollins was the last Republican to serve in the office, after being appointed to it in 1952. In another open statewide race, Democrat Brooke Lierman is running against Republican Barry Glassman for comptroller, which is the state’s tax collector. The comptroller holds one of three positions on the state’s powerful Board of Public Works, along with the governor and state treasurer. You can also follow the NewsHour’s live coverage on YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, and TikTok, and see highlights on our Instagram. Explore more of our Vote 2022 coverage Vocabulary of voting: A glossary guide to the 2022 midterms The role mail-in voting could play in the midterms How the Associated Press calls winners on election night It’s normal not to know the official results on election night. Here’s why How to watch midterm election results with PBS NewsHour We're not going anywhere. Stand up for truly independent, trusted news that you can count on! Donate now By — Brian Witte, Associated Press Brian Witte, Associated Press
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Democrat Wes Moore was elected Maryland’s first Black governor Tuesday, defeating Republican Dan Cox in a state where Democrats outnumber Republicans 2-1. WATCH LIVE: 2022 Midterm Elections | PBS NewsHour Special Coverage Moore’s victory flips a governor’s office from Republican to Democratic. Of the 36 governor’s races this year, Maryland and Massachusetts represented the best chances for Democrats to regain a governor’s office at a time when the GOP holds a 28-22 edge in governor’s seats. Republican Gov. Larry Hogan is term limited. Only two other Black politicians have ever been elected governor in the United States — Virginia’s Douglas Wilder in 1989, and Deval Patrick of Massachusetts in 2006. Democrat Stacey Abrams would become the nation’s first Black female governor if she wins her Georgia rematch against Republican Gov. Brian Kemp. With the slogan “leave no one behind,” the former combat veteran and former CEO of one of the nation’s largest anti-poverty organizations campaigned on creating equal opportunity for Maryland residents. “This can be Maryland’s moment,” Moore said in a debate last month. “We have amazing people and incredible potential, but not everybody’s in a position to succeed.” Moore, 44, defeated a first-term state legislator who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump, who only received 32 percent of the vote in Maryland in the 2020 presidential election. During their only debate, Moore criticized Cox for attending the “Stop the Steal” rally on Jan. 6, 2021, before Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol. Moore described Cox as “an extremist election-denier whose rhetoric and his policies are not only dangerous and divisive, but will take our state backwards.” Kevin Holmboe, who voted for Moore in Annapolis, Maryland, cited the candidate’s resume as a former combat veteran who served in Afghanistan as well as a Rhodes scholar with a business background as qualifications that jumped out at him. “He just had all the right things to lead me in that direction,” Holmboe, 60, said after voting for Moore. LIVE RESULTS: 2022 midterm election results and interactive maps The race was marked by Hogan’s refusal to support Cox, whom he has described as “a QAnon whack job” unfit for office. Republican voters who supported Cox said Trump’s endorsement of the candidate was significant to them. “Quite frankly, he’s a MAGA Republican,” said John Jacobs, 57, who voted for Cox in Annapolis, in a reference to Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan. While explaining his vote for Cox, Jacobs quickly pivoted to criticizing Hogan, who is weighing a presidential bid — potentially against Trump. “And Larry Hogan, who if my life depended on it I probably wouldn’t vote for him, and I’m a Republican, for president.” Cox organized bus trips for protesters to Washington for the “Stop the Steal” rally that preceded the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Cox has also said Biden’s victory should not have been certified and tweeted that former Vice President Mike Pence was a “traitor.” Cox later deleted the tweet and apologized. Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. Enter your email address Subscribe Form error message goes here. Thank you. Please check your inbox to confirm. Other candidates who ran for governor included David Lashar, of the Libertarian Party; Nancy Wallace, of the Green Party; and David Harding, of the Working Class Party. Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. Anthony Brown also is hoping to make history by becoming the state’s first Black attorney general. Brown, a three-term congressman representing a majority-Black district in the suburbs of the nation’s capital, served as lieutenant governor for eight years. He lost the 2014 governor’s race to Hogan before winning his U.S. House seat. Brown is running against Republican Michael Peroutka, a former Anne Arundel County Council member. A Republican has not been elected attorney general in Maryland since 1919. Edward D.E. Rollins was the last Republican to serve in the office, after being appointed to it in 1952. In another open statewide race, Democrat Brooke Lierman is running against Republican Barry Glassman for comptroller, which is the state’s tax collector. The comptroller holds one of three positions on the state’s powerful Board of Public Works, along with the governor and state treasurer. You can also follow the NewsHour’s live coverage on YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, and TikTok, and see highlights on our Instagram. Explore more of our Vote 2022 coverage Vocabulary of voting: A glossary guide to the 2022 midterms The role mail-in voting could play in the midterms How the Associated Press calls winners on election night It’s normal not to know the official results on election night. Here’s why How to watch midterm election results with PBS NewsHour We're not going anywhere. Stand up for truly independent, trusted news that you can count on! Donate now