The 2026 Maryland gubernatorial election took place on November 3, 2026, to elect the governor of Maryland. The primary elections took place on June 23, 2026. Incumbent Democratic governor Wes Moore was re-elected to a second term, defeating his 2022 opponent Dan Cox. This is the first gubernatorial rematch in Maryland since 2010. Moore is scheduled to serve a four-year term beginning on January 20, 2027.
Background
At the federal and state level, Maryland is a solid blue state and one of the most consistently 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. 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.
Democratic primary
Campaign
Moore has maintained positive approval ratings throughout his first term, though his numbers have steadily declined. 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. 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 faced token opposition in the Democratic primary.
Candidates
Nominee
- Wes Moore, incumbent governor (2023–present)
- Running mate: Aruna Miller, incumbent lieutenant governor (2023–present)
Eliminated in primary
- Eric Felber, physician and candidate for Maryland's 8th congressional district in 2024
- Running mate: LaTrece Hawkins Lytes, community activist and candidate for lieutenant governor in 2022
Withdrew
- Ed Hale, retired banker and owner of the Baltimore Blast (ran as a Republican)
- Ralph Jaffe, perennial candidate (died February 6, 2026)
- Running mate: Donald Palmore, pastor
Endorsements
Eric Felber
Wes Moore
- Angela Alsobrooks, Maryland (2025–present)
- Chris Van Hollen, Maryland (2017–present)
- April McClain Delaney, MD-06 (2025–present)
- Ed Rothstein, secretary of the Maryland Department of Veterans and Military Families (2025–2026) (Republican)
- Carl Anderton Jr., former state delegate from district 38B (2015–2024) (Republican)
- Calvin Ball III, Howard County executive (2018–2026)
- Aisha Braveboy, Prince George's County executive (2025–present)
- Sharon Green Middleton, vice chair of the Baltimore City Council (2016–present) from the 6th district (2007–present)
- Steuart Pittman, Anne Arundel County executive (2018–present) and chair of the Maryland Democratic Party (2025–present)
- Brandon Scott, mayor of Baltimore (2020–present)
- American Federation of Government Employees
- Maryland International Association of Fire Fighters
- Maryland State Education Association
- Service Employees International Union Local 500
- Black Economic Alliance PAC
- CASA in Action
- Collective PAC
- End Citizens United
- Jewish Democratic Council of America
- Maryland League of Conservation Voters
- Moms Demand Action
- VoteVets
Republican primary
Campaign
During the Republican primary, candidates campaigned against Moore's handling of economic issues, especially toward tax reforms and increases to vehicle registration fees in the state during his first term.
Much of the speculation as to which Republicans may challenge Moore in the 2026 election revolved around former governor Larry Hogan. Hogan's entry would have given Republicans a high-profile candidate, potentially making the race more competitive. 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, 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. Hershey filed to run for re-election in February 2026, leaving the Republican Party without a formidable opponent against Moore.
Republican challengers to Moore face an uphill battle against him, especially as public frustration with President Donald Trump continues to boost Democratic officeholders in deep blue states. As of May 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. Media outlets described Cox and Hale as the frontrunners of the Republican primary.
As the primaries approached, some of the Maryland Republican Party's establishment appeared to begin coalescing around Hale, believing him to be more electable than Cox. However, Cox still enjoyed name recognition from his previous gubernatorial campaign as well as solid voter bases in Trump-leaning regions of the state. In June 2026, the Maryland Democratic Party and Governor Moore began airing advertisements and sending out mailers promoting Cox over Hale. Cox won the Republican primary on June 23, 2026, defeating Hale.
Candidates
Nominee
- 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
- Running mate: Robert Krop, gun store owner
Eliminated in primary
- Carl Brunner, firearms instructor
- Running mate: Kevin Rhodes, sales executive
- L. D. Burkindine, sheet metal business owner
- Running mate: Jeremy Shifflett, rental community manager
- Ed Hale, retired banker and owner of the Baltimore Blast (previously ran as a Democrat)
- Running mate: Tyrone Keys, financial services professional
- Douglas Larcomb, former business owner
- Running mate: Martina Duncan, massage therapist
- John Myrick, federal executive consultant and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2024
- Running mate: Brenda Thiam, former state delegate from district 2B (2020–2023) and candidate for Maryland's 6th congressional district in 2024
- Michael Oakes, retired business owner
- Running mate: Ronald Abend
- Shannon Wright, nonprofit executive, pastor, and nominee for mayor of Baltimore in 2020 and 2024
- Running mate: Reba Hawkins, business owner and candidate for Maryland's 3rd congressional district in 2020 and U.S. Senate in 2022
Deceased
- Nancy Taylor, bank teller (died May 25, 2026, remained on ballot)
- Running mate: Rachel "Mohawk" Swift
Disqualified
- Kurt Wedekind, farmer
- Running mate: Shannon Wright, nonprofit executive, pastor, and nominee for mayor of Baltimore in 2020 and 2024 (running for governor)
Withdrew
- Christopher Eric Bouchat, state delegate from the 5th district (2023–present)
Declined
- Andy Harris, U.S. representative from Maryland's 1st congressional district (2011–present) (running for re-election)
- Steve Hershey, minority leader of the Maryland Senate (2023–present) from the 36th district (2013–present) (running for re-election)
- Larry Hogan, former governor (2015–2023) and nominee for U.S. Senate in 2024
Endorsements
Dan Cox
Ed Hale
- James F. Ports Jr., former Maryland Secretary of Transportation (2022–2023)
- Jack Bailey, state senator from the 29th district (2019–present)
- J. B. Jennings, state senator from the 7th district (2011–present)
- Nic Kipke, state delegate from the 31st district (2007–present)
- Ryan Nawrocki, state delegate from district 7A (2011–present)
- Justin Ready, state senator from the 5th district (2015–present)
- Johnny Ray Salling, state senator from the 6th district (2015–present)
- Kathy Szeliga, state delegate from district 7A (2011–present)
Declined to endorse
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
- Running mate: Owen Silverman Andrews, teacher
- Cathy White (Working Class Party), nominee for lieutenant governor in 2022
- Running mate: Cathy Permut
General election
Campaign
Moore was widely expected to win re-election to a second term and enters the general election with a substantial fundraising advantage over Cox.
Moore campaigned 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. Moore's campaign also sought to tie Cox to President Donald Trump, who endorsed Cox in 2022. Following the primary elections, the Maryland Democratic Party launched a website intended to remind voters about Cox's association with Trump as well as his past opposition to abortion rights, gun safety, and former President Joe Biden's victory in the 2020 United States presidential election. Cox pushed back against attempts to tie him to Trump, saying that he would not be seeking the president's endorsement and would be focusing his campaign on local issues.
Cox campaigned against Moore's handling of economic issues. Following the Republican primary, the Maryland Republican Party and its leaders embraced Cox, with Maryland Senate minority leader Steve Hershey and House of Delegates minority leader Jason C. Buckel telling The Baltimore Sun that they believed Cox could defeat Moore with an affordability-focused campaign as opposed to 2022 campaign platform, which highlighted far-right policy stances and baseless conspiracy theories. At the same time, Republican legislative leaders stated that their path to competing against Moore would rely less on defending Cox and more on persuading voters to focus on affordability and fiscal issues.
Post-primary endorsements
Wes Moore (D)
Declined to endorse
Results
By county
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican
- Kent (largest community: Chestertown)
- Talbot (largest community: Easton)