Gov. Wes Moore celebrates reelection win, says Maryland 'ready to meet the moment'

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Fresh off securing a second term in office, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore held a post-election press conference Wednesday morning to celebrate Democratic victories across the state.

Victories across the state:

After the Associated Press declared his victory over Republican challenger Dan Cox, Moore turned to the Democratic coalition statewide. He pointed to local executive victories and nine flipped municipal and county seats as evidence of a broader Democratic mandate. 

"We started this journey with no institutional backing, but with a couple [of] big and audacious goals: that we wanted to rethink the way the Maryland Democratic Party moves, that it wasn't just about engaging, it was about enlarging," Moore said. "The days of having a governor with no coattails, those days are over."

Question 3 passage:

Moore strongly championed the approval of Question 3, the ballot amendment that eliminates the requirement for congressional districts to remain compact and contiguous.

"Two weeks ago, everybody said that Question 3 was done and Question 3 was over," Moore said. "I am very proud to say that, in a loud and resounding fashion, Question 3 passed in Maryland and we made sure that Maryland could help to meet the moment this time."

When asked how quickly Marylanders can expect a new congressional map, Moore said he is prepared to engage immediately with General Assembly leadership. Moore reiterated that the amendment was necessary to counter nationwide redistricting pushes by President Donald Trump and Republican lawmakers in other states across the country.

"Any proposed map needs to be a map that is going to be a fair and representative map," Moore said, pushing back on assertions that the ballot measure was intended solely to eliminate the state's lone Republican-held congressional seat. "I do not like partisan gerrymandering, and I think there needs to be national redistricting reform inside of this country. But Maryland cannot just sit on our hands while we are watching this remarkable and unprecedented power grab that is taking place in Washington, D.C."

The $3B budget shortfall:

Turning toward his second-term legislative agenda, Moore addressed questions about how the state will manage an anticipated $3 billion structural budget deficit heading into the next legislative session.

Moore declined to specify whether tax or fee increases would be off the table, but said he would prioritize affordability and protecting the state's economic standing.

"My commitment is we are going to make sure that we are addressing affordability in the state of Maryland," Moore said, citing middle-class and veteran tax cuts enacted during his first term. "We have now gone four straight years where we have a balanced budget inside of the state of Maryland. I believe that you can both invest in the future and also be fiscally disciplined."

Moore also addressed mounting concerns from residents and small business owners over elevated utility rates. He cited the state's Utility Relief Act and emphasized an "all-of-the-above" energy strategy spanning wind, solar, nuclear, and battery storage to make Maryland a net energy exporter.

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