Gov. Moore's approval rating drops to 48% as Marylanders say state is on the wrong track, UMBC poll finds

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore's approval rating dropped to 48% in the latest UMBC poll. 

It's the first time his rating has dipped below 50% in the past two years, with a majority of survey participants (27%) blaming raised taxes and fees. Another 24% of participants cited poor leadership, dishonesty and personal dislikes as their reason for disapproving. 

"Of course, Marylanders aren't happy right now, every single day the president is directly attacking them," a spokesperson for Gov. Moore said in a statement in response to the poll. 

"Governor Moore has worked tirelessly to combat these direct hits from Washington by providing energy rebates to put money back in the pockets of hard-working Marylanders, push forward a budget this year in Maryland that doesn't raise taxes, and spur economic development through job growth and business creation," the statement continued. 

The latest UMBC poll surveyed 804 adults in Maryland between March 17 and March 22, with 731 indicating they were registered voters. 

Maryland Gov. Moore's approval rating 

In this latest poll, 48% of survey participants said they approved of how Gov. Moore is doing his job, while another 42% said they disapprove and 9% said they did not know. 

In an October 2024 poll and a February 2025 poll, the governor received 52% approval ratings. In October 2024, a poll revealed a 54% approval rating. 

The governor's approval rating is divided along party lines, with 69% of Democrats approving and 25% of Republicans approving of his job performance. Among unaffiliated voters, 39% approved, the poll shows. 

Among the top reasons for disapproving, 14% of participants cited fiscal mismanagement and the state's budget deficit. Twelve percent mentioned cost-of-living and utility increases, according to the poll.

Reasons for approval included the governor's handling of the economy, jobs and affordability (20%); his leadership, character and integrity (18%); his care for Marylanders (17%); and his stance on President Trump and his effort to protect Marylanders from the federal government (16%).  

"Poll after poll has shown that Governor Moore has widespread support for his record of getting things done in Maryland, including his work to create nearly 100,000 jobs, cut taxes for middle-class families, and make Baltimore the safest it's been in over 50 years," The Democratic Governors' Association said in a statement.

Is Maryland on the right track? 

According to the poll, 59% of participants believe the state is on the wrong track, compared to 30% who believe it's heading in the right direction. 

In October 2025, a similar poll found that 48% of Marylanders believed the state was on the wrong track, and in October 2024 that number was 39%. 

In the new UMBC poll, 76% of participants rated the state's economic conditions as "poor" or "fair," compared to 22% who rated the conditions as "good" or "excellent." 

The negative rating has increased since the October 2025 poll, where 69% rated the conditions as "poor" or "fair." In the October 2024 poll, 66% of participants rated the economic conditions as "poor" or "fair." 

According to the latest poll, 45% of participants thought Maryland's economic conditions were about the same as the rest of the country, while 29% thought Maryland's conditions were worse, and 22% thought it was better.