Maryland Gov. Wes Moore declined to commit to serving a full four-year second term if reelected in November, sidestepping yes-or-no questions during a debate.
The Democrat has fueled intense speculation about a potential 2028 presidential campaign, despite his repeated insistence that he’s not in the running.
During Maryland’s gubernatorial debate Tuesday against Republican challenger Dan Cox, Mr. Moore was pressed on whether he would finish a full second term.
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He replied, “Being the governor of Maryland has been an honor of a lifetime, and I would not be running for reelection if I was not committed to the people of Maryland,” but he declined to give a yes-or-no commitment to staying in office for all four years.
When asked for a yes or no, Mr. Moore said, “I gave the answer. I am committed to the people of Maryland. That’s why I am running for reelection.”
Mr. Cox said Mr. Moore “will not look you in the eyes and commit to not running for president.”
Mr. Moore has traveled extensively out of state — making campaign and political stops in battleground or key primary states like South Carolina, Georgia, Nevada and Michigan — while stating he wants to be part of the broader national conversation for the Democratic Party.
While social media murmurs and political analysts frequently name him a rising star and a dark-horse 2028 contender, Mr. Moore’s campaign consistently maintains that his immediate focus remains winning reelection and delivering results for Maryland.
Last year, he told NBC News that “I’m not running for president,” adding, “I’ll be serving a full term.”
Asked in February whether a politician who says he or she won’t run for president can turn back on such comments, Mr. Moore said, “I don’t think there’s any reason to hide a ball from people.”
“I’m not thinking about this at all,” he said in reference to a 2028 White House campaign.
“You know, when I first came on board, I was very clear that there is no political party that made me,” Mr. Moore said. “In fact, the Democratic Party put millions of dollars to try to stop me from winning. I don’t answer to the Democratic Party. I don’t answer to party bosses. I answer to the only people who made the government of Maryland, which is the people of Maryland.”
Mr. Moore easily won the Democratic primary in June and maintains a wide lead in polling over Mr. Cox.
Several high-profile officials’ names have been floated for a presidential run on the Democratic ticket.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, former Vice President Kamala Harris, California Gov. Gavin Newsom and former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg have all been the subject of speculation.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen, Maryland Democrat, is also mulling over tossing his hat into the ring.
In June, he said that he’s “kicking the tires” on a presidential campaign.
“If you’re asking me whether I think Democrats need to shake things up, you bet I do. I visited New Hampshire, kind of kicking the tires a little bit,” he said. “It’s pretty clear that operating from within the confines of the halls of Congress is not a successful recipe for actually getting change. Too often, we are in a bubble.”
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