Maryland voters approve of Gov. Wes Moore, oppose raising taxes to improve deficit, Gonzales poll shows

BALTIMORE -- More than 60% of Marylanders surveyed approve of the job Gov. Wes Moore is doing in office, while they are strongly against raising taxes to improve the state's deficit, according to the latest Gonzales poll.

Maryland's General Assembly is set to resume another legislative session on Wednesday, January 8.

The Gonzales poll was conducted between December 27 to January 4. The poll questioned 811 registered voters in Maryland, who indicated they are likely to vote in the next election.

The margin of error (MOE), per accepted statistical standards, is a range of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points, according to the Gonzales poll, and if the entire population was surveyed, there is a 95% probability that the true numbers would fall within this range.

Gov. Moore's approval

According to the Gonzales poll, 61% of Maryland voters approve of the job Gov. Wes Moore is doing, while 28% disapprove. The poll shows that 79% of Democrats and 75% of Black voters polled support Moore's performance.

The poll also shows that 76% of voters polled in Maryland approve of the current governor.  

"Governor Moore's overall job rating among Maryland voters (61% approval) is more than satisfactory, but within the number a softness of intensity (only 29% strong approval) is present that might pose issues in the future," the Gonzales poll said.

Wes Moore vs. Larry Hogan

Fifty-two percent of voters polled said they would vote for Gov. Wes Moore if he were to run against former Gov. Larry Hogan, according to the Gonzales poll.

According to the poll, 38% would vote for Hogan and 10% are undecided. 

"These poll numbers are very similar to the election results two months ago, when former Governor Hogan vied for the open senate seat in Maryland," the Gonzales poll states. "Former Governor Hogan has enjoyed a very distinguished career in politics, but his neither fish nor fowl style that served him so well during his tenure in office has become a touch passé in the current day political gestalt. His prospects next year, should he decide to run, will be determined largely by events beyond his control."

Raising taxes to improve state deficit?

Maryland voters surveyed by the Gonzales poll strongly oppose raised taxes to deal with the state deficit.

Maryland lawmakers face a budget outlook worse than during the Great Recession in 2008-2009, with a $2.7B budget deficit for the next budget year, which begins July 1, 2025.  

Only 17% of surveyed Marylanders said they support the state income tax increase, while 76% said they strongly oppose the increase. 

According to the poll, 73% strongly oppose a sales tax hike, while 77% strongly oppose an increase in the state property tax.

"Voters constantly express a willingness to pay taxes for needed services like transportation and public safety, but not for a problem they believe their elected representatives created," the Gonzales poll said.