2026 Maryland gubernatorial election
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The 2026 Maryland gubernatorial election will take place on November 3, 2026, to elect the governor of Maryland. The primary elections will take place on June 23, 2026.[1] Incumbent Democratic governor Wes Moore is running for a second term.[2]
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November 3, 2026
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Background
At the federal and state level, Maryland is a deeply blue state and one of the most reliably Democratic states in the nation, with Kamala Harris carrying it by 29 points in the 2024 presidential election. Elections in Maryland are dominated by the Baltimore metropolitan area and the D.C. suburbs.[3] Going into this election, Democrats occupy all statewide offices and hold supermajorities in both houses of the state legislature, as well as all but one seat in the state's congressional delegation.[4]
Democratic primary
Campaign
Moore has maintained positive approval ratings throughout his first term, though his numbers have slowly declined throughout his first term[5] and especially since the 2025 legislative session, during which Moore and the Maryland General Assembly closed a $3.3 billion budget deficit through a combination of budget cuts and tax increases.[6] Mileah Kromer, the director of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County's Institute of Politics, has associated the downward trend in Moore's approval rating with voter frustration over affordability issues and a distrust of local, state, and federal government.[7] An incumbent Democratic governor has not lost re-election in Maryland since 1950, when William Preston Lane Jr. failed to win a second term.
Moore's campaign faces token opposition in the Democratic primary and remains well funded for the general election.[8][7] He is expected to campaign on his efforts to address affordability issues, expand opportunities, and protect the state from the second Trump administration, whose actions have led to increased prices and caused the state to lose jobs and federal funding.[8]
Candidates
Declared
- Eric Felber, physician and candidate for Maryland's 8th congressional district in 2024[9]
- Wes Moore, incumbent governor (2023–present)[2]
- Running mate: Aruna Miller, incumbent lieutenant governor (2023–present)[2]
Withdrawn
- Ed Hale, retired banker and owner of the Baltimore Blast (running as a Republican)[10]
- Ralph Jaffe, perennial candidate (deceased February 6, 2026)[11]
- Running mate: Donald Palmore, pastor[9]
Endorsements
- Organizations
- U.S. senators
- Angela Alsobrooks, Maryland (2025–present)[13]
- Chris Van Hollen, Maryland (2017–present)[13]
- U.S. representatives
- April McClain Delaney, MD-06 (2025–present)[13]
- Statewide officials
- Ed Rothstein, secretary of the Maryland Department of Veterans and Military Families (2025–present) (Republican)[14]
- State legislators
- Carl Anderton Jr., former state delegate from district 38B (2015–2024) (Republican)[14]
- Local officials
- Calvin Ball III, Howard County executive (2018–present)[15]
- Sharon Green Middleton, vice chair of the Baltimore City Council (2016–present) from the 6th district (2007–present)[15]
- Steuart Pittman, chair of the Maryland Democratic Party (2025–present) and Anne Arundel County executive (2018–present)[16]
- Labor unions
- Maryland International Association of Fire Fighters[17]
- Maryland State Education Association[18]
- Service Employees International Union Local 500[19]
- Organizations
Fundraising
| Campaign finance reports as of January 14, 2026 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Raised | Spent | Cash on hand |
| Wes Moore (D) | $12,214,459 | $7,743,427 | $6,784,542 |
| Source: Maryland State Board of Elections[26] | |||
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic |
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| Democratic |
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| Total votes | ||||
Republican primary
Campaign
Republicans are expected to campaign against Moore's handling of economic issues, especially toward tax reforms and increases to vehicle registration fees in the state during his first term.[8]
Much of the speculation as to which Republicans may challenge Moore in the 2026 election revolved around former governor Larry Hogan.[27][28][29] Hogan's entry would have given Republicans a high-profile candidate, potentially making the race more competitive.[30] However, he announced in an op-ed to The Baltimore Sun in January 2026 that he would not run for a third term as governor in 2026,[31] after which speculation turned to Steve Hershey, the minority leader of the Maryland Senate who had formed an exploratory committee into a potential gubernatorial campaign.[32] Hershey filed to run for re-election in February 2026,[33] leaving the Republican Party without a formidable opponent against Moore.[34]
Republican challengers to Moore face an uphill battle against him,[6] especially as public frustration with President Donald Trump continues to boost Democratic officeholders in deep blue states.[35] As of April 2026, Republican candidates in the race have struggled to raise funds for their campaigns, lack experience in running a statewide campaign, and hold positions in line with Trump.[7] The Baltimore Banner has described Cox and Hale as the frontrunners of the Republican primary.[8]
Candidates
Declared
- Carl Brunner, firearms business owner[36]
- Running mate: Kevin Rhodes, sales executive[9]
- L. D. Burkindine, sheet metal business owner[37]
- Running mate: Jeremy Shifflett, rental community manager[9]
- Dan Cox, former state delegate from the 4th district (2019–2023), nominee for Maryland’s 8th congressional district in 2016, nominee for governor in 2022, and candidate for Maryland's 6th congressional district in 2024[38]
- Running mate: Robert Krop, gun store owner[38]
- Ed Hale, retired banker and owner of the Baltimore Blast (previously ran as a Democrat)[10]
- Running mate: Tyrone Keys, financial services professional[39]
- Douglas Larcomb[37]
- Running mate: Martina Duncan[9]
- John Myrick, federal executive consultant and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2024[40]
- Running mate: Brenda Thiam, former state delegate from district 2B (2020–2023) and candidate for Maryland's 6th congressional district in 2024[40]
- Michael Oakes[37]
- Running mate: Ronald Abend[9]
- Nancy Taylor[9]
- Running mate: Rachel "Mohawk" Swift[9]
- Shannon Wright, nonprofit executive, pastor, and nominee for mayor of Baltimore in 2020 and 2024[41]
- Running mate: Reba Hawkins, business owner and candidate for Maryland's 3rd congressional district in 2020 and U.S. Senate in 2022[41]
Disqualified
Withdrawn
- Christopher Eric Bouchat, state delegate from the 5th district (2023–present)[43]
Declined
- Andy Harris, U.S. representative from Maryland's 1st congressional district (2011–present)[44] (running for re-election)[45]
- Steve Hershey, minority leader of the Maryland Senate (2023–present) from the 36th district (2013–present) (running for re-election)[33]
- Larry Hogan, former governor (2015–2023) and nominee for U.S. Senate in 2024[31]
Endorsements
- State legislators
- Jack Bailey, state senator from the 29th district (2019–present)[46]
- J. B. Jennings, state senator from the 7th district (2011–present)[46]
- Johnny Ray Salling, state senator from the 6th district (2015–present)[46]
- Organizations
- Organizations
Debates and forums
| No. | Date | Host | Moderator | Link | Participants | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P Participant A Absent N Non-invitee I Invitee W Withdrawn | |||||||||||
| Burkindine | Larcomb | Myrick | Oakes | Wright | |||||||
| 1[37] | Mar 26, 2026 | North County Republican Club | Kimberly Klacik Torrey Snow Yuripzy Morgan |
YouTube[48] | P | P | P | P | P | ||
Fundraising
| Campaign finance reports as of January 14, 2026 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Raised | Spent | Cash on hand |
| Dan Cox (R) | $0 | $1,596,998 | $162 |
| Ed Hale (R) | $14,964 | $12,007 | $2,957 |
| John Myrick (R) | $17,404 | $14,895 | $2,509 |
| Kurt Wedekind (R) | $57,078 | $24,575 | $8,903 |
| Source: Maryland State Board of Elections[26] | |||
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican |
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| Republican |
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| Republican |
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| Republican |
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| Republican |
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| Republican |
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| Republican |
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| Republican |
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| Republican |
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| Total votes | ||||
Third-party and independent candidates
Candidates
Declared
- Andy Ellis (Green), former co-chair of the Maryland Green Party and candidate for Maryland House of Delegates in 2018[49]
- Running mate: Owen Silverman Andrews, teacher[50]
Fundraising
| Campaign finance reports as of January 14, 2026 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Raised | Spent | Cash on hand |
| Andy Ellis (G) | $29,442 | $25,583 | $3,858 |
| Source: Maryland State Board of Elections[26] | |||
General election
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[51] | Solid D | September 11, 2025 |
| Inside Elections[52] | Solid D | August 28, 2025 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[53] | Safe D | September 4, 2025 |
| Race to the WH[54] | Safe D | September 16, 2025 |
Polling
Wes Moore vs. Larry Hogan
- Wes Moore vs. Generic Republican
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[a] |
Margin of error |
Wes Moore (D) |
Generic Republican |
Other | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gonzales Research[57] | December 21, 2025 − January 6, 2026 | 808 (RV) | ± 3.5% | 50% | 28% | 6%[b] | 16% |
| University of Maryland, Baltimore County[58] | October 21−25, 2025 | 757 (RV) | ± 3.5% | 49% | 29% | 12% | 10% |
| OpinionWorks[55] | October 7−10, 2025 | 928 (RV) | ± 3.2% | 47% | 29% | – | 21% |