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Wes Moore
Democratic · Governor, Maryland · Incumbent since 2023
2026 General Election
Wes Moore has served as Governor of Maryland since January 2023, becoming the state's first Black governor. An Army combat veteran who served in Afghanistan, he is also a Rhodes Scholar and bestselling author. Before entering politics, he led the Robin Hood Foundation, a major anti-poverty organization in New York City. He won the 2022 election by a wide margin.
Official website →Views on the Issues
Gov. Moore’s stated positions alongside Democratic and Republican party platforms. Sources cited below each position. MyPolity does not editorialize.
Democratic Platform
Wes Moore
Republican Platform
Economy & Taxes
Democratic Platform
Democrats support progressive taxation, with higher rates on top earners and corporations to fund public investment. The party favors raising the minimum wage, strengthening unions, and expanding worker protections. Democrats generally support government investment in infrastructure, education, and social programs as drivers of broad economic growth.Wes Moore
Governor Moore has made economic opportunity for working-class Marylanders a centerpiece of his agenda. He signed legislation advancing Maryland's minimum wage and has focused on job creation in clean energy, life sciences, and advanced manufacturing. He supports targeted tax relief for working families alongside workforce development programs connecting workers with Maryland's growing industries.Source →Republican Platform
Republicans favor lower taxes across income levels, with particular emphasis on cutting corporate and capital gains taxes to stimulate investment and job creation. The party supports deregulation, reduced government spending, and free market solutions over federal programs as the primary engine of prosperity.Healthcare
Democratic Platform
Democrats support expanding access to affordable healthcare, including protecting the Affordable Care Act and moving toward a public option or expanded Medicare coverage. The party broadly favors government negotiation of prescription drug prices and opposes removing protections for pre-existing conditions.Wes Moore
Governor Moore has focused on expanding healthcare access in Maryland, including investing in behavioral health services and maintaining Medicaid coverage for low-income residents. He supports protecting coverage for pre-existing conditions and reducing prescription drug costs. He signed legislation strengthening abortion access in Maryland following the Supreme Court's Dobbs decision.Source →Republican Platform
Republicans have generally sought to repeal or significantly reform the Affordable Care Act, favoring market-based solutions. The party supports expanding health savings accounts, increasing competition among insurers across state lines, and reducing federal mandates on coverage requirements.Immigration
Democratic Platform
Democrats generally support pathways to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, including DACA recipients, and favor comprehensive immigration reform. The party supports increased resources for legal immigration processing and a humanitarian approach to asylum seekers at the border.Wes Moore
Governor Moore signed an executive order in 2023 directing Maryland state agencies not to honor civil immigration detainer requests from federal authorities, making Maryland a more welcoming environment for immigrant communities. He supports a federal pathway to citizenship and comprehensive immigration reform.Source →Republican Platform
Republicans prioritize border security and strict enforcement of existing immigration law. The party broadly supports completing physical border barriers, ending policies they view as incentivizing illegal entry, and reforming legal immigration to favor applicants with marketable skills.Education
Democratic Platform
Democrats favor robust federal investment in public K-12 education and higher education, along with policies to reduce or eliminate student loan debt. The party generally opposes using public funds for private school vouchers and supports universal pre-K and affordable childcare.Wes Moore
Governor Moore has prioritized implementing Maryland's Blueprint for Maryland's Future, a ten-year education reform plan significantly increasing state education funding, expanding pre-K access, and raising teacher pay. He supports investment in community colleges and career training programs aligned with Maryland's major industries including federal contracting, life sciences, and cybersecurity.Source →Republican Platform
Republicans support school choice, including voucher programs for private and religious schools, and local control over curriculum decisions. The party generally opposes federal education mandates and broadly supports parental rights in schooling. Many Republicans oppose student loan forgiveness as unfair to borrowers who repaid their loans.Gun Policy
Democratic Platform
Democrats broadly support stricter gun safety measures, including universal background checks, red flag laws, and restrictions on assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines. The party frames these regulations as consistent with the Second Amendment and necessary to reduce mass shootings.Wes Moore
Governor Moore has been a vocal advocate for gun safety measures. He signed legislation in 2023 expanding Maryland's red flag law, strengthening background checks, and adding new purchase restrictions. He has called for federal action on gun violence and supports universal background checks and restrictions on assault-style weapons.Source →Republican Platform
Republicans strongly defend Second Amendment rights and generally oppose new gun control legislation, arguing that existing laws should be enforced more effectively. The party emphasizes mental health intervention, the right to self-defense, and opposes what they view as infringement on law-abiding gun owners.Climate & Energy
Democratic Platform
Democrats view climate change as an urgent crisis requiring immediate government action. The party supports transitioning to clean energy through federal investment and regulation, reducing carbon emissions across the economy, and meeting international climate commitments. Democrats generally oppose expanding fossil fuel development on public lands.Wes Moore
Governor Moore has committed Maryland to ambitious clean energy goals including 100 percent renewable electricity by 2035. He signed the Climate Solutions Now Act and has focused on offshore wind development off Maryland's coast as a source of both clean energy and economic opportunity. He has been a prominent voice among governors for aggressive federal climate policy.Source →Republican Platform
Republicans emphasize American energy independence through domestic production of oil, gas, and coal alongside renewable development. Many in the party are skeptical of aggressive climate regulations they argue harm economic growth and jobs. Republicans generally prefer market-based energy solutions over government mandates and oppose restrictions that raise energy costs for families.Foreign Policy
Democratic Platform
Democrats generally support a multilateral approach to foreign policy, emphasizing alliances, international institutions, and diplomacy as the first line of engagement. The party broadly supports maintaining NATO commitments, providing aid to democratic allies, and engaging international bodies to address shared challenges.Wes Moore
Position not yet available.Republican Platform
Republicans emphasize American sovereignty, a strong military as a deterrent, and bilateral relationships over multilateral institutions. The party broadly supports robust defense spending and is skeptical of international agreements they view as constraining American action or requiring open-ended foreign commitments.Social Security
Democratic Platform
Democrats oppose cuts to Social Security or Medicare benefits and support expanding both programs. The party generally favors raising the Social Security payroll tax cap on high earners to ensure long-term solvency and opposes any form of privatization.Wes Moore
Position not yet available.Republican Platform
Republicans support reforming Social Security and Medicare to ensure long-term fiscal solvency, which some in the party argue requires adjusting benefits or eligibility ages. The party opposes tax increases to fund the programs and some members have supported personal investment account options.Criminal Justice
Democratic Platform
Democrats broadly support criminal justice reform, including reducing mandatory minimum sentences, addressing racial disparities in policing and incarceration, and investing in community-based alternatives. The party generally supports police accountability measures and evidence-based approaches to reducing recidivism.Wes Moore
Governor Moore has supported both public safety and criminal justice reform. He has backed community violence intervention programs, reentry services for formerly incarcerated people, and police accountability measures. He signed legislation reforming Maryland's juvenile justice system and has called for a balanced approach that addresses root causes of crime while maintaining public safety.Source →Republican Platform
Republicans emphasize law and order, strong support for law enforcement, and tough penalties for crime. The party generally opposes reducing mandatory minimum sentences for violent offenses and supports prosecutors pursuing strong sentences. Republicans broadly oppose policies they view as undermining police authority or creating leniency for criminals.About these profiles. Party platform positions are drawn from the 2024 Democratic and Republican national platforms. Candidate positions are sourced from official statements, voting records, and campaign websites. MyPolity does not editorialize or endorse any candidate.