2026 Maryland gubernatorial election


The 2026 Maryland gubernatorial election will take place on November 3, 2026, to elect the governor of Maryland. The primary elections will take place on June 23, 2026. Incumbent Democratic Governor Wes Moore is running for a second term.

Background

At the federal and state level, Maryland is a deeply blue state and one of the most reliably Democratic states in the nation, with Kamala Harris carrying it by 29 points in the 2024 presidential election. Elections in Maryland are dominated by the Baltimore metropolitan area and the D.C. suburbs. Going into this election, Democrats occupy all statewide offices and hold supermajorities in both houses of the state legislature, as well as all but one seat in the state's congressional delegation.
Much of the speculation as to which Republicans may challenge Moore in the 2026 election revolved around former governor Larry Hogan. Hogan's entry would have given Republicans a high-profile candidate, potentially making the race more competitive. However, he announced in an op-ed to The Baltimore Sun in January 2026 that he would not run for a third term as governor in 2026. Any Republican challenger to Moore will face an uphill battle against him.
Moore has maintained positive approval ratings throughout his first term, though his numbers have slowly declined throughout his first term and especially since the 2025 legislative session, during which Moore and the Maryland General Assembly closed a $3.3 billion budget deficit through a combination of budget cuts and tax increases. An incumbent Democratic governor has not lost re-election in Maryland since 1934, when Albert Ritchie failed to win a fifth term.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

Filed paperwork

Withdrawn

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

Formed exploratory committee

Potential

Declined

Third-party and independent candidates

Candidates

Declared

General election

Polling

Wes Moore vs. Larry Hogan

Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin
of error		Wes
Moore 		Larry
Hogan 		Undecided
OpinionWorksOctober 7−10, 2025928 ± 3.2%45%37%14%
Gonzales ResearchDecember 27, 2024 − January 4, 2025811 ± 3.5%52%38%10%

;Wes Moore vs. Generic Republican
Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin
of error		Wes
Moore 		Generic
Republican		OtherUndecided
Gonzales ResearchDecember 21, 2025 − January 6, 2026808 ± 3.5%50%28%6%16%
University of Maryland, Baltimore CountyOctober 21−25, 2025757 ± 3.5%49%29%12%10%
OpinionWorksOctober 7−10, 2025928 ± 3.2%47%29%–21%