Democrat Wes Moore Announces Campaign For Maryland Governor

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Former Robin Hood Foundation CEO and combat veteran, Wes Moore, announced his candidacy to be Maryland's next governor on Monday.

Moore released this statement to the public:

"As we come out of this pandemic, I believe we're at a crossroads. We can't simply go back to how things were. The way things were, wasn't good enough for most Marylanders. We must focus on creating economic opportunity and closing the wealth gap. What has become clear to me is that opportunity is readily available to some and dangerously absent to others. Here in Maryland, we have some of the nation's most prosperous communities and some of its most impoverished; world-class medical institutions and people who can't afford basic care; some of the best schools and some of the most underfunded. Too many people work too hard, do everything the right way but it's never enough, and this pandemic has made these inequities even worse. But right now, we stand ready to lead, ready to do something about it. I believe that no matter what road you start down, you deserve a path to success."

Moore was born in Takoma Park, MD before moving to the Bronx. His family moved to Baltimore at the age of 14. He graduated with an Associate's Degree from Valley Forge Military College in 1998 and then Phi Beta Kappa from Johns Hopkins University in 2001. He served as a captain and paratrooper with the U.S. Army's 82nd Airborne. Moore also served as a white house fellow where he advised on issues of national security and international relations. In addition, he is a published author.

During Moore's time as 4-year tenure as CEO of the Robin Hood Foundation, the foundation distributed over $600 million towards impoverished families. He also has a Baltimore-based business called BridgeEdU that helps disadvantaged students reach long-term success in college.