Gubernatorial candidates Wes Moore, Dan Cox meet in first and only televised debate
OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Maryland gubernatorial hopefuls Wes Moore and Dan Cox made their respective pitches to voters Wednesday in the first—and only scheduled—television debate.
Moore, a Democrat, holds a significant lead in the latest polls. A Washington Post-UMD Poll shows he leads Cox by 32 points.
"I think the sharpest contrast would be between safety and the fear of being on the streets of Baltimore," Cox told WJZ after the debate, charging Moore with wanting to defund the police.
Moore denied the "defund" accusation, pointing out he has the endorsement of the Maryland State Fraternal Order of Police.
"My opponent has a real issue with democracy. This is still a person who will not acknowledge the results of the 2020 election," Moore told WJZ.
The debate, which airs on MPT, WBAL-TV, and WRC-TV at 7 p.m. Wednesday, featured questions about abortion, vaccines, climate change, inflation, LGBTQ+ youth, the racial wealth gap, and democracy itself.
Moore took the crowded Democratic primary by leading former U.S. Secretary of Labor Tom Perez by about 10 points and Comptroller Peter Franchot by about 17 points.
An author, military veteran, Rhodes Scholar and nonprofit CEO, Moore first gained recognition for his 2010 bestselling memoir, "The Other Wes Moore."
In the GOP primary, Cox, endorsed by former President Donald Trump, defeated former commerce secretary Kelly Schulz, Gov. Larry Hogan's handpicked successor.
An election denier who has taken a series of hardline conservative positions, Cox represents the 4th District in the Maryland House of Delegates.
Hogan has called Cox a "QAnon whack job" and said he won't back his own party's nominee.
Moore and Cox are set to appear at a forum at Coppin State University Sunday afternoon, per event organizers.
Election Day is Nov. 8.