Maryland
In Chicago, Moore is helping the national ticket and helping himself – Maryland Matters
CHICAGO — Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D) is hardly anyone’s idea of an inspiring orator.
The 72-year-old former classroom teacher and principal may be a canny enough politician to have won statewide office in a swing state five times, including two terms as governor. But when he finished his vanilla speech to his home state delegation at the Democratic National Convention earlier this week, the delegates in the room could barely muster a half-hearted chant of “Tony! Tony! Tony!”
The mood in the room changed dramatically moments later, when Wisconsin Democratic Chair Ben Wikler introduced a visitor.
“I can hear the hubbub,” Wikler said as the next speaker entered the room.
“Our next governor is a dynamic leader — he’s one of our party’s greatest champions,” Wikler said, calling the invited speaker “an honorary Badger.”
With that, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) strode to the hotel ballroom stage.
“WHAT’S UP, WISCONSIN?” he shouted after embracing Wikler, his smile a mile wide, arms waving like one of those guys who runs through the crowd at sporting events to whip up enthusiasm.
Moore went on to describe a recent three-day visit to the Dairy State, where “I saw public service at its best.” He recounted how, in the hours immediately after the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge outside Baltimore, he received supportive calls with offers of help from “my friend and your governor, Tony Evers,” from Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D), and from “my friend and your former lieutenant governor, Mandela Barnes.”
Moore also talked about the importance of Wisconsin in the Electoral College calculus. He exhorted the crowd of Democratic activists to do the work necessary to elect Kamala Harris president. And he vowed to visit Wisconsin again soon, to help them knock on doors and turn out the vote.
“When the story of this election is written, it’s going to be run through Wisconsin,” he said.
The crowd went wild. Moore left the stage and was instantly mobbed by well-wishers seeking hugs and selfies and offering praise. When New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) took to the stage to speak to the Cheeseheads — a purple state gets a lot of attention from national pols — Moore was still greeting his admirers.
This scene has been repeated, with small variations, throughout the convention week.
Moore has stopped by at least seven state delegation breakfasts so far, and the ritual each time is very much the same: An enthusiastic introduction from a party leader. A high wattage greeting from Moore. A recollection by the governor of a recent visit and/or a connection to the state — before the Georgia delegation on Wednesday morning, for example, he recounted his basic Army training at the former Fort Benning.
“I left a lot of sweat and tears in that soil,” he said.
Moore then will recall the generous offers of help from state leaders after the Key Bridge disaster — and he’ll add that Vice President Harris very quickly made a similar call. He’ll remind the Democratic activists to do the work this fall and talk about the political stakes for their states in this election. That’s followed by another swarm of well-wishers.
The energy level, at each of Moore’s breakfast appearances, on a scale of 1 to 10, is somewhere around a 26 — from the governor himself and from the audience.
When they can, the phalanx of Moore aides who are traveling with him throughout the Windy City try to find a space in a nearby hallway and ask his admirers to line up there for greetings and pictures. After he spoke to a joint meeting of the South Carolina and Tennessee delegations Wednesday morning, at least 40 people queued up, the line snaking through the hotel hallway and almost running into the Alaska delegation’s buffet table.
“I’m going to marry him!” one young woman exclaimed to her friends after she bounded away from Moore following a photo.
“He’s great, he’s just great,” said the woman, Kathryn Winsley, a Memphis resident and a member of the Tennessee Young Democrats, in an interview. “He really got the crowd going. He talked about important things in a really relatable way.”
Ambitious, young, high-profile Democrats, part of the next generation of possible contenders for national office some day, are all making the scene around Chicago this week — ostensibly as surrogates for Harris, but to boost their own profile as well. It’s a time-honored tradition of political conventions. In fact, Moore, 45, ran into Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D), another up-and-comer, making the same rounds in the same hotel Wednesday morning, and the two men embraced. (The hotel, in fact, is owned by Pritzker’s family.)
But while Pritzker is also a fiery speaker, and a billionaire who talks like a populist and looks like a beer-swilling blue-collar worker, a few dozen people aren’t lining up to take his picture at any given time.
Beyond these delegation appearances, Moore has found time to raise money and do media hits, and he also spoke Tuesday at a forum sponsored by the Black Economic Alliance, where he discussed economic disparities and his desire to expand job opportunities, increase wages, and create more wealth in communities of color. He’s speaking to the Democratic National Committee’s Veterans and Military Families Council on Thursday. And, of course, he’s found time to be with Maryland’s convention delegation, speaking at the first breakfast of the week and sponsoring the first late-night after-party at a fancy billiard hall.
But all of these activities have largely been geared to political insiders and influencers. On Wednesday night, he delivered a speech on the floor of United Center that millions of TV viewers were expected to watch.
Moore’s remarks undoubtedly sounded familiar for politically attuned Marylanders. But for the national TV audience, they may have been a revelation.
Moore begin his seven-minute speech also talking about the Key Bridge collapse and Harris’ early call offering assistance. He mentioned his military service and the important lessons he observed.
“My training taught me you never learn anything about anybody when times are easy,” Moore said. “You learn about them when times are hard. And America: Kamala Harris is the right one to lead us in this moment.”
Moore is an integral part of the Democrats’ attempts to reclaim patriotism from the Republicans, who have tried to monopolize the term and the sentiment for decades.
“We are a nation of patriots who serve when the mission is hard and the destination is uncertain,” he said. “And I know our history isn’t perfect. The unevenness of the American journey has made some skeptical. I’m not asking you to give up your skepticism. I just want that skepticism to be your companion, and not your captor — and I’m asking that you join us in the work.
“Because making America great doesn’t mean telling people: You’re not wanted. Making America great means saying: ‘The ambitions of this country would be incomplete without your help.’”
[subbed] ‘He knows he has a significant role to play’ [/subhed]
This was not Moore’s first Democratic convention — or his first convention speech. That occurred in 2008, when he had only recently left the Army.
In an interview this week, he recalled that he had been part of a group of young military veterans who were providing policy advice to both then-Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois, the Democratic presidential nominee, and the late Arizona Sen. John McCain, the Republican nominee.
Obama invited Moore to speak at the Democratic convention, and he readily accepted. While McCain came from a long line of Navy commanders, and his time as a prisoner of war in Vietnam was legendary, Moore said he found Obama’s desire to dive into policy admirable.
“I had a deep respect for the fact that while he hadn’t served in the military, he was so unbelievably, intellectually curious about it,” Moore said.
During his speech at that 2008 convention, Moore gave both a nod to the historical nature of Obama’s campaign and also suggested that his candidacy created historic opportunities to get things done.
“This election is not about history,” Moore said then. “This election is not about making history. This election is about seizing history and forging a proper course for our country for the next century.”
The message was remarkably similar to one he delivered during his 2022 campaign for governor — an acknowledgment that while he would be making history if he was elected, “that’s not the assignment.”
Moore’s experience at that Denver convention mainly involved him hanging out with fellow veterans, he recalled, so as a result, “This convention really feels like my first.”
If that’s the case, it’s quite a debut.
“It’s really exciting,” Maryland Democratic Chair Ken Ulman said in an interview. “We’re really proud of him. He’s so focused on being a great governor and being a great leader for Maryland Democrats. But he knows he has a significant role to play in helping elect the next president.”
U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse (D-Colo.), who is Black, spoke at one of the Maryland Democrats’ breakfasts this week and discussed the symbolic importance of Moore. He said he and his 5-year-old daughter were watching Moore on TV the other night and she was amazed to learn that he was only the third elected Black governor in U.S. history.
“Having a congressman from Colorado talking about how important Wes Moore is to his daughter reminds us of the role Wes Moore plays in national politics,” Ulman said.
Moore has talked at length about Harris, and the importance of the partnership the state has forged with her and President Joe Biden since he became governor. But in a conversation with reporters earlier this week, he also discussed the kinship he feels with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D), Harris’ running mate.
“Gov. Walz is just like a real dude and I thought that from the first time I met him,” Moore said. “He didn’t come from that political background. He was an Army guy, the way I was an Army guy. He’s a true patriot, someone who is decent-hearted, of the people.”
Moore has also talked at length about the message of hope he believes Harris and Walz are offering the American people, and like every other Democrat in Chicago, said he detects a dramatic shift in tone in the White House campaign. Asked in an interview why he thinks former President Donald Trump is still essentially running even with Harris, Moore replied, “I think the country is still deeply divided. I think [Republicans] have done a really good job of infusing misinformation into the campaign.”
But Moore remains convinced that undecided voters will respond to the Democrats’ “unique vision of hope.”
As for the convention itself, Moore said he’s amazed at how quickly and efficiently organizers pivoted after President Biden chose not to seek reelection and Harris immediately emerged as his preferred successor.
“There’s going to be such an amazing story to be told about this campaign,” Moore said — without acknowledging that he’s playing a role in it.
Gov. Wes Moore has requested a federal disaster declaration to help farmers recover from their losses after temperatures dipped into the 20s in April, devastating some of Maryland’s agriculture industry.
Temperatures dipped into the low to mid 20s for several hours, causing widespread damage to crops, wine grapes, berries, peaches and apples in some parts of the state.
“We had 6, 7 hours I believe here under 32 and that’s just a lot of stress on those small fruits and buds,” said Ben Butler, the farm manager of Butler’s Orchard in Germantown back in April.
Moore asked for the U.S. agriculture secretary to declare a federal disaster using Maryland Farm Service Agency data to back up the request. According to the agency, there were historic losses, including 94% of the apple crop, 99% of the peach crop and 98% of the barley in several jurisdictions.
The Maryland Wineries Association says 36% of grape acreage sustained total losses, with a $24.4 million projected deficit in wine sales for the 2026 vintage.
“For the majority of the varieties, the yield, the 2026 crop yield, will essentially be zero,” said Robert Butz, the owner of Windridge Vineyards.
The hours-long deep freeze in April left grapes at Windridge Vineyards in Germantown dead on the vine.
News4 visited Windridge Vineyards just a few days after the disaster. Butz said not only were there grape losses, some of the vines were damaged as well. He called the devastation “catastrophic.”
It’s challenging, but he said he’s pleased with the support being given to local farmers and the disaster declaration request.
“This announcement by the governor is further evidence of that, right,” Butz said. “Marylanders care about their farmers. That’s great.It’s incredibly gratifying for those who do this work.”
Moore is asking the agriculture secretary for a quick decision so emergency loans and relief programs are made available right away so farmers can prepare for the next growing season.
Maryland
Anne Arundel County Executive Democratic candidates make their case ahead of Maryland primary
ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, Md. — Five candidates are running to replace Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman, with four Democrats competing for their party’s nomination ahead of the Maryland primary.
Republican Dave Crawford is the only candidate on the GOP side, meaning he automatically advances from the primary. Democratic voters, however, face a choice between four candidates: county council members Allison Pickard and Pete Smith, Pittman administration Special Assistant James Kitchin, and city and regional planner Kyle Nembhard.
Pickard is serving her second term as councilwoman for the Second District.
Anne Arundel County executive democratic candidates make their case ahead of Maryland primary
Anne Arundel County executive race heats up ahead of Maryland primary
“I’m excited to move forward into the executive branch where we really get to execute and implement, uh, all of the policies that we’ve put forth,” Pickard said.
Smith has served on the county council for 14 years on and off.
“You will see that there is a crystal clear option in this race, uh, when you look at our resume when you judge me on my report card, you will see that I’ve been doing my homework for this county for the last 14 years,” Smith said.
Kitchin has served as special assistant in the Pittman administration for the past 7 years.
“I have the most relevant experience and I am the most ready on day one to come in and create a smooth transition from the Pittman administration into the next 4 years,” Kitchin said.
Nembhard has worked as a city and regional planner in the transportation field since 2002.
“I am literally an average citizen, like the majority of, of folks in Anne Arundel County, actually all the folks in Anne Arundel County. Um, who just like them, feel like their voices aren’t heard,” Nembhard said.
Where the candidates agree — and differ
All 4 Democratic candidates share similar positions on many of the county’s major issues, including housing affordability, public safety, mental health services, and education funding. Their approaches, however, differ.
On housing, Pickard emphasizes supply and transit-oriented development.
“I’ve been wholly focused on redevelopment and transit oriented development, which is exciting about creating cool spaces, uh, around our Mark station. Or our light rail stations so that maybe we’ll attract those younger folks who want to have walkable communities and really neat spaces — and be closer to where they work,” Pickard said.
All 4 candidates support increasing public safety staffing. Smith pointed to specific numbers to illustrate the strain on current personnel.
“In fact, on the police side of the house we’re about 809 positions. The reality is 1200 is where we should be at with this current population here in Anne Arundel County. We got about 850 to 900, uh, fire department personnel, uh, who are answering well over 100,000 calls every single year. That’s significant,” Smith said.
All 4 candidates also support funding mental health services and violence interruption programs. Both Nembhard and Smith expressed a personal connection to the issue and called for more community policing. Nembhard described the impact of officers who knew their neighborhoods.
“Where I grew up we were fortunate, I don’t know if that was by design or by chance, but like me and my friends, we knew the folks who, you know, walked the beat in our neighborhood. So, that intimate knowledge, that integration can make the difference between a good student who’s just in the wrong place at the wrong time getting shot,” Nembhard said.
On education, all 4 candidates support maintaining funding growth for county schools. Kitchin is the only candidate in the race endorsed by the teachers union.
“Like I’m a pro-education candidate, um, come from a pro-education family, and that didn’t change because I got their endorsement,” Kitchin said.
Public financing
Anne Arundel County has a public financing system for campaigns. Kitchin is the only candidate in this race using it.
“I’m not taking any corporate money, any PAC money, no developer money. I’m also not taking any union money,” Kitchin said.
All 4 candidates support the public financing system and said they would like to see more political candidates use it in the future.
Why vote for me?
With so much common ground among the candidates, voters may find it difficult to choose. Each candidate made their case.
Kitchin pointed to his experience inside the current administration.
“I have the most relevant experience and I am the most ready on day one to come in and create a smooth transition from the Pittman administration into the next 4 years,” Kitchin said.
Nembhard framed his candidacy around his connection to everyday residents.
“I don’t see voters. I see my neighbors, I see friends, I see family, the same people that I’m in the trenches all the time, all day, going to county council meetings and speaking up on their behalf and fighting to be heard, you know, like just, just to be heard, to have a seat at the table,” Nembhard said.
Pickard highlighted the support she has built across the county.
“I’m really proud of the coalition I’ve built, and I feel like it’s a real testament to my track record of getting results for our community,” Pickard said.
Smith pointed to his long record of service.
“You will see that there is a crystal clear option in this race, uh, when you look at our resume when you judge me on my report card, you will see that I’ve been doing my homework for this county for the last 14 years,” Smith said.
Early voting begins June 11. The Maryland primary is June 23. Whoever wins the Democratic nomination will face Crawford in the November general election.
JAMES KITCHIN
Full interview with Anne Arundel County Executive candidate James Kitchin
Meet the candidates for Anne Arundel County Executive: James Kitchin
Key Campaign Message:
Kitchin positions himself as the candidate of government reform and transparency, emphasizing his unique use of the county’s new public financing system. As the only candidate refusing corporate, developer, PAC, and union money, he frames his campaign around eliminating special interest influence in county government.
Core Qualifications:
- Executive Experience: Seven-plus years in the Pittman administration, including roles in budget, legislative affairs, and communications
- Education Background: Former teacher and current spouse of a 4th-grade teacher
- “Ready on Day One”: Claims unique preparation for executive role through administrative experience
Policy Priorities:
- Housing: Rejects “supply-side” approach, insists on building specifically affordable units rather than hoping market-rate construction reduces costs
- Education: Strongly supports record $72.8 million education increase; endorsed by Teachers Association of Anne Arundel County
- Environment: Proposes “no net loss of forest” program and opposes one-size-fits-all bulk regulations
- Immigration: Strongest advocate for expanding Family Protection Initiative
Notable Positions:
- Only candidate using public financing system
- Most detailed critique of supply-side housing theory
- Emphasizes upstream public safety investments over enforcement-only approach
- Supports using rainy day fund to address potential federal cuts
KYLE NEMBHARD
Full interview with Anne Arundel County Executive candidate Kyle Nembhard
Meet the candidates for Anne Arundel County Executive: Kyle Nembhard
Key Campaign Message:
Nembhard presents himself as the “average citizen” candidate bringing fresh perspective and community empowerment to county government. He emphasizes transparency, community engagement, and reducing barriers between government and residents.
Core Qualifications:
- Professional Background: City and regional planner with development experience
- Community Advocacy: Extensive volunteer work and community organizing
- Outsider Status: Only candidate without prior elected office experience
Policy Priorities:
- Housing: Supports increased supply but emphasizes affordable units near transit corridors to reduce car dependency
- Education: Advocates for maximum 20 students per classroom; child of union member though not endorsed by teachers
- Transportation: Strong focus on transit-oriented development and reducing car dependency
- Public Safety: Emphasizes community integration of law enforcement, drawing from personal positive police relationships
Notable Positions:
- Late entry candidate who couldn’t access public financing due to timing
- Most detailed focus on transit and transportation solutions
- Unique emphasis on empowering communities through government transparency
- Economic argument for protecting immigrant workers
PETE SMITH
Full interview with Anne Arundel County Executive candidate Pete Smith
Meet the candidates for Anne Arundel County Executive: Pete Smith
Key Campaign Message:
Smith emphasizes his proven track record and deep institutional knowledge, positioning himself as the candidate who has “done the homework” through 14 years of council service and 28 years of military experience.
Core Qualifications:
- Legislative Experience: 14 years on county council (with breaks), including budget committee work
- Military Service: 28 years as Marine, including overseas deployments
- Institutional Knowledge: Claims deepest understanding of county operations and needs
Policy Priorities:
- Public Safety: Most specific staffing targets – wants 1,200 police officers (currently ~809) and 1,200-1,300 firefighters (currently 850-900)
- Housing: Supports county “driving the train” rather than leaving to market; backs cottage home bill creating $200k homes
- Economic Development: Strong emphasis on P3 partnerships and reducing federal dependency
- Education: Detailed history supporting education funding since 2012, including Blueprint implementation
Notable Positions:
- Most specific public safety staffing numbers
- Created stormwater remediation fund
- Personal story about police officer saving his life
- Opposes 287G immigration enforcement based on experience and human dignity
ALLISON PICKARD
Full interview with Anne Arundel County Executive candidate Allison Pickard
Meet the candidates for Anne Arundel County Executive: Allison Pickard
Key Campaign Message:
Pickard presents herself as the “successful legislator” who gets things done through coalition building and bipartisan cooperation. She emphasizes governing as a “team sport” and her proven ability to pass significant legislation.
Core Qualifications:
- Legislative Track Record: Two terms on county council with major bill passage
- Education Experience: Former Board of Education member during significant reforms
- Coalition Building: Emphasizes bringing together labor and private sector supporters
Policy Priorities:
- Housing: Strong “supply-side” advocate supporting zoning changes, transit-oriented development, and smaller lot sizes to increase overall housing stock
- Environment: Proudest of creating Resilience Authority and securing federal partnerships
- Education: Former Board of Education member supporting teacher pay increases and continued funding growth
- Federal Relations: Strongest emphasis on leveraging federal partnerships and funding
Notable Positions:
- Most detailed legislative accomplishments (Resilience Authority, education reforms)
- Strongest advocate for market-based housing solutions
- Helped create public financing system but chose traditional fundraising route
- Most experience with federal grant acquisition and partnerships
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Refreshing and dry weekend weather in Maryland
Plunging humidity levels and dry weather will be around through the rest of the workweek. Highs Thursday and Friday will top out in the upper 70s with a mixture of clouds and sunshine.
This-coming weekend is looking much drier and better for all outdoor plans across the Mid-Atlantic, compared to Memorial Day Weekend. The First Alert Forecast is mostly dry and seasonable on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Plan on a mix of sun and clouds each day. Saturday and Sunday begin with temperatures in the 50s, followed by afternoons spent in the 70s. Humidity remains low, too.
The chance of rain increases a bit during the beginning of next workweek. The next chance of wetter wet arrives on Monday. The WJZ First Alert Weather Team will be fine-tuning the return of rain in the forecast… keeping you updated on WJZ, streaming on CBS News Baltimore and on-the-go in the CBS News App.
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