Democrat Wes Moore outraises GOP’s Dan Cox by 10 to 1 in Maryland governor’s race

Wes Moore, the Democratic nominee for Maryland governor, has far outraised his Republican counterpart heading into the fall campaign season.

Mr. Moore raised $1.8 million in just the past two months, leaving him with $1.3 million of cash on hand. That is a 10-to-1 advantage against his Republican rival, state Del. Dan Cox, who brought in $195,000. 

The Republican currently has a cash balance of $130,000.

The governor’s race leans in favor of Mr. Moore, a political newcomer and former CEO of an anti-poverty nonprofit. Maryland is a solidly blue state where Democrats outperform the GOP 2-1, though outgoing Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican, led the state for two terms.

Mr. Cox, who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump, beat the Hogan-endorsed establishment favorite Kelly Schulz in the primary.

Mr. Cox downplayed his fundraising shortage, asserting that he plans to win with a grassroots approach.

“Winning elections is not about having a lot of money. It’s about having enough money,” Mr. Cox told The Washington Post. 

Mr. Cox added that he plans to win with the help of “hard-working students, single moms, families, small businesses.”

Mr. Moore’s campaign said his fundraising ability proves his ability to build a diverse coalition and indicates an “incredible amount of momentum.”

Mr. Hogan is unable to run for a third term due to state term limits. He is only the second Republican to win two consecutive terms in the state’s history.

Mr. Hogan has criticized Mr. Cox as being too extreme, citing his loyalty to Mr. Trump and ties to the 2021 Capitol riot. In a recent interview, he called Mr. Cox “mentally unstable.”