Republican gubernatorial nominee Dan Cox and Gov. Wes Moore (D) participated in a televised debate Tuesday at Maryland Public Television studios in Owings Mills. The hour-long event featured both candidates outlining their plans for the state, with Cox criticizing Moore as a tax-and-spend liberal and Moore accusing Cox of aligning with the Trump agenda.
Cox, who lost to Moore four years ago, accused the governor of lying during the debate. Moore, in turn, tied Cox to President Donald Trump, quoting a former governor who once called Cox a “Q-Anon whack job.” Both candidates expressed satisfaction with their performances following the debate.
Moore stated, “I appreciated the chance to come and speak directly to the people of Maryland, and saying that despite the assaults that we have seen from the president, and frankly, a Trump agenda that Dan Cox has said himself that he backs 100% of the time, that there’s been no state that’s been greater affected, but there’s been no state that’s been more effective when it comes to dealing with it.” Cox said in an interview after the debate that he spoke on behalf of Marylanders and urged Moore to agree to additional debates at one of the state’s historically black colleges and universities.
Third-party candidates Andy Ellis and Cathy White, who did not participate in the debate, each polled at 3% in a survey conducted by the Institute of Politics at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Cox trails Moore by 27 points in the poll released Tuesday morning before the debate.
Mileah Kromer, director of the Institute of Politics, noted that Cox faces challenges in attracting voters outside his party and lacks campaign funds. Kromer said, “If he does really, really well on the debate, he’ll get the benefit of some post-debate coverage. Without money to wage a campaign, or frankly having the individual characteristics that appeal to unaffiliated voters and moderate conservative Democrats – the things that are necessary to like to take a really strong debate showing and then turn it into momentum – he just doesn’t seem to have any of those things.”
The debate is likely the only one between the two major party candidates. Cox called on Moore to participate in a forum at Morgan State University or Coppin State, but Moore was noncommittal, stating, “I’m ready for the next question.”
Cox opened the debate focusing on affordability issues, high electricity prices, business closures, and tax increases he said are on the horizon. Moore acknowledged the economic challenges and blamed them on Trump.
