Maryland Governor Wes Moore, long-considered a potential Democratic frontrunner for the 2028 presidential election, said on Sunday he would not run for president and instead seek re-election as governor.
Moore, 46, has been considered a rising star in the Democratic Party for years, but he gained national attention last year while displaying his strong leadership style after the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed.
Political analysts have long speculated that Moore could serve as a potentially successful candidate for Democrats in the next presidential election because he appeals to Democrats and more moderate voters.
But Moore has consistently shut down those rumors and put them to a full stop during an appearance on Meet the Press.
“Yeah, I’m not running for president,” Moore told host Kristen Welker while flashing a big smile.
Moore said he is seeking re-election in 2026 to serve a second term as Maryland’s governor.
“I’ll be serving a full term. I’m excited about re-election, I’m excited about what I’m going to do for the people of Maryland,” Moore said before listing some accomplishments he’s had since taking office.
While Moore has shut down the possibility of running for president, his previous declarations have not been taken seriously by some political analysts who see much of Moore’s activity and rhetoric as attempts to boost his national image.
Most recently, Moore has publicly pushed back on President Donald Trump’s harsh immigration, deportation, and crime policies targeted at Baltimore.
Trump has threatened to send the National Guard into Baltimore to help control violent crime in the city. Baltimore has seen higher rates of violent crime than the national average for several years, but over the last two years, those numbers have steadily dropped.
Moore has asked Trump not to send in the National Guard, but said he’s open to collaboration.
“We absolutely accept the offer for federal support,” Moore told Meet the Press. “The president’s proposed budget actually cuts support for the FBI and ATF bureaus, which are things we could actually use.”
Should Moore change his mind, it wouldn’t be the first time a politician has said they’re not running for president and then changed their mind. Former President Barack Obama said, in 2006, that he intended to serve his full six-year term as U.S. senator, but ultimately launched a bid for president in 2008.
Some Moore fans have hoped he would expand his political aspirations. He has had an impressive career with aspects that appeal to both Democrats and Republicans.
He graduated from Johns Hopkins University and became the recipient of the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship while obtaining his master’s degree from Oxford.
He also served in the U.S. Army, was deployed to Afghanistan, and rose in the ranks to captain.
Among other accomplishments, Moore has written two books, founded a television production company, produced a three-part documentary about veterans for PBS, and served as CEO of the Robin Hood Foundation.
Moore also embarked on a career in politics early on, first becoming a White House fellow to former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in 2006 and then supporting Barack Obama at the 2008 Democratic National Convention.
