Wes Moore elected as Maryland's first Black governor

Wes Moore declared winner in MD governor's race

Democrat Wes Moore has won the race for Maryland’s governor seat and will become the first Black man to hold that title in the state’s history. FOX 5's Lindsay Watts reports from Wes Moore's election watch party in Baltimore.

WASHINGTON - Democrat Wes Moore has won the race for Maryland’s governor seat and will become the first Black man to hold that title in the state’s history.

Moore was a captain and paratrooper with the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne, a White House Fellow and the chief executive officer of the Robin Hood Foundation, an anti-poverty non-profit, from 2017 to 2021.

Moore’s campaign focused on improving the local economy, building wealth for Maryland families, preparing students in public schools, making health care affordable and protecting a woman’s right to choose.

"Maryland... you showed that if we stand divided, we cannot win—but if we stand united, we cannot lose," said Governor-Elect Wes Moore. "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. It means lifting each other up and improving each other’s lives. Patriotism means knowing that our country is great—and that if we do the work, it will be even greater. Tonight we celebrate, and tomorrow we get to work."

Maryland’s next lieutenant governor will be Aruna Miller who spent 25 years working at the Department of Transportation in Montgomery County. She immigrated to America from India at age seven and represented District 15 in the Maryland House of Delegates from 2010 to 2018.

Wes Moore election watch party

FOX 5's Lindsay Watts reports from Wes Moore's election watch party in Baltimore, Maryland.

Republican Dan Cox was defeated by Moore in the race for governor. Cox was endorsed by former president Donald Trump and has been a member of the Maryland House of Delegates since 2019 representing District 4.

Cox’s politics were considered by some to be a liability during the campaign in the heavily Democratic state of Maryland.

In a special forum hosted by FOX 5, Moore said his visions for Maryland’s future include addressing the root cause of crime, having pre-K available for every child, keeping the state as a safe haven for abortion rights, fixing the American Legion bridge and more.

In a tweet, Governor Larry Hogan said that he has congratulated Moore on his victory and will ensure a smooth and orderly transition to the next administration.