Democrat Wes Moore made history in Maryland as the state’s first Black governor.
Moore is only the third Black governor elected in the country— after Deval Patrick in Massachusetts and L. Douglas Wilder in Virginia. He defeated the Trump-backed state legislator Dan Cox, who received just 32% of the vote, boasting endorsements from several high-profile celebrities, including Oprah Winfrey, President Biden and former President Barack Obama.
“When I was an Army captain and led soldiers into combat in Afghanistan, we lived by a simple principle: Leave no one behind … Real patriotism means bringing people together,” Moore told a crowd gathered in downtown Baltimore during his victory speech, per AP News. “It means lifting each other up and improving each other’s lives.”
During his campaign trail, Moore vowed to “leave no one behind.” His opposition scoffed at his lofty dreams, painting him as inexperienced and a pretender. But the former combat veteran is also the former CEO of one of the nation’s largest anti-poverty organizations, which added legitimacy to his calls for equality in his home state.
“When our days are dominated by cynicism and mistrust, at a time when those of you—those of us—who hope to be part of the solution are often told to wait our turn, you believed that in this moment, our state could be bolder, and our state could go faster,” said.
Gov. Larry Hogan saluted Moore shortly after the race was called.
“Our team is committed to ensuring a smooth and orderly transition to the next administration, and I look forward to meeting with the governor-elect in the coming days,” he said.
