Maryland’s Democratic Gov. Wes Moore and Republican gubernatorial candidate Dan Cox will debate tonight, replaying their 2022 matchup in what will likely be their only public faceoff ahead of Election Day.
The hourlong event will be prerecorded and broadcast on local news channels and radio stations and streamed online at The Banner at 7 p.m. Tuesday.
With multiple ways to watch and many political issues to unpack, here’s everything you need to know and what to listen for.
The contest
Four years ago, Maryland’s primary voters sent Cox and Moore to represent them in the general election. But Moore sent Cox packing that November, 65%-32%.
In June, voters put them both back in the ring, though this time in the midst of a second Trump administration instead of President Joe Biden’s term.
Moore is now an incumbent, a politically stronger position, especially as the Republican Party’s leaders have become increasingly unpopular. Moore’s political profile has also skyrocketed, and he’s considered a 2028 presidential possibility.
To his advantage or disadvantage, Moore also has nearly four years of governing experience under his belt. This gives him a political track record to either boast about or defend, depending on your viewpoint.
Cox, a lawyer who served two terms in the House of Delegates, is an ardent Trump supporter and had the president’s endorsement in the 2022 campaign. The two-term state delegate had largely stepped back from political life until entering the 2026 race.
The odds largely favor Moore heading into November, said Niambi Carter, a politics professor at the University of Maryland, adding that Cox’s MAGA-style, far-right politics don’t make him a “viable” choice in the Democrat-dominated state.
While Moore will be asking Marylanders to give him another four years in office, he’ll likely be projecting his voice beyond state lines, said Carter.
One potential audience could be Trump, she said. The pair have maintained a somewhat adversarial relationship.
“I think he’s also potentially talking to the DNC” , she said, nodding to the organization’s efforts to spot emerging leaders.
Topics we’re sure to hear about
We should expect to hear panelists question candidates on some of the most heated and contentious political issues of the day: the economy, affordability, artificial intelligence, and immigration.
Governors don’t have a ton of sway over these issues. But the candidates won’t miss a chance to lay blame for Maryland’s toughest problems on the other candidate or his political party.
What’s key is to listen for the candidates’ responses to what governors actually can control. They’re responsible for proposing a balanced budget and appointing a cabinet to run state agencies.
Moore, a pro-business Democrat, is certain to talk about how he’s tried to boost Maryland’s economy. He bet big on the tech industry to detangle the state from its dependency on federal, education and healthcare jobs. He’s also sure to talk about some of his top initiatives, such as his flagship public service corps and his goal to eliminate childhood poverty.
The governor has some political weaknesses. Cox may take a jab at Moore’s Bronze Star misstep, after Moore claimed on a 2006 White House fellowship application that he had earned the honor before the paperwork was approved. Moore has also come under scrutiny for his handling of the Francis Scott Key Bridge rebuild.
Cox has said he was looking forward to the rematch and has pitched himself as a candidate aiming to “renew Maryland to save our beautiful state.” Cox has pledged to audit state agencies, another sore point for Moore, whose agencies have faced harsh criticism over their management of the state’s foster care system.
Moore will throw plenty of barbs at Cox. Known for his alignment with Trump, the conservative could be viewed as a proxy for the unpopular GOP leader and some of the most extreme ideology of the far right wing.
Cox helped arrange tour buses to bring attendees to the Jan. 6, 2021, rally at the U.S. Capitol that opposed certification of the presidential election, but he maintains he departed before an angry mob stormed the building.
Cox, an attorney, also filed a November 2020 lawsuit challenging then-Gov. Larry Hogan’s stay-at-home orders during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2025, he represented plaintiffs alleging that they were discriminated against by similar orders made during the pandemic.
What is the format of the debate?
Between candidates’ opening and closing statements, a panel of Maryland journalists — including Banner politics reporter Pamela Wood — will question candidates about how they’d run state government and lead Maryland through the next four years.
Jason Newton, a WBAL-TV 11 news anchor, will moderate the one-hour debate. The other panelists include Jeff Salkin, news anchor for Maryland Public Television, and Tracee Wilkins, investigative reporter with NBC Washington.
Watch, listen or stream
There are plenty of ways to tune in.
Local public broadcaster Maryland Public Television will host the debate. WHUT and WETA will join MPT in broadcasting it on Oct. 6 at 7 p.m. MPT will show it again at 11 p.m.
Other places to watch and listen are The Banner’s website, NBC Washington, WBAL-TV 11, WBAL NewsRadio and C-SPAN.
Mail ballots have gone out but can still be requested. Early voting starts Oct. 22 and runs through Oct. 29. Election Day is Nov. 3.
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