Wes Moore Becomes Maryland's First Black Governor

One Black man made history following election results.

Democrat Wes Moore is the first Black governor in the state of Maryland, according to a race call by the Associated Press. Moore is just the third Black governor elected in the country.

Moore’s victory transitions the governorship back in Democrat’s hands following two terms of Republican Gov. Larry Hogan, who is one of the country’s most popular governors.

Polling before the election displayed Moore had a double-digit lead over Maryland Del. Dan Cox – Moore’s Republican opponent.

Former President Donald Trump gave a coveted, polarizing endorsement to Cox, who is a far-right lawmaker.

But a lift from the far right wasn’t enough to overcome the steep odds because Democrats and moderate Republicans typically win the most votes in Maryland.

A political newcomer, longtime businessman and Rhodes scholar, Moore is a philanthropist who centered his platform on eliminating childhood poverty and making sure Maryland remains a state that is dedicated to reproductive rights.

It didn’t matter that Moore had never held public office. Moore still quickly emerged as a rising star among Democrats, garnering the support of national Democrats and celebrities from the likes of Oprah Winfrey, President Biden, and former President Barack Obama.

Moore hasn’t shied away from the historic aspect of his win, as his victory includes lieutenant governor-elect Aruna Miller, an Indian-American woman, who will become the first immigrant to hold statewide office in Maryland.

“We’re not in this race to make history. We’re in this race because we have a unique opportunity to make child poverty history,” Moore told his supporters last month. “We have a unique opportunity to make the racial wealth gap history.”