Maryland governor candidates Moore, Cox to face off in televised debate
BALTIMORE -- The two candidates vying to be Maryland's next governor have agreed to face off in a televised debate.
Democratic nominee Wes Moore and Republican nominee Dan Cox will meet on a stage hosted by Maryland Public Television on Oct. 12.
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, who has been endorsed by former President Donald Trump, defeated Kelly Schulz, who was endorsed by popular Republican Gov. Larry Hogan, who is term-limited.
Cox, an election denier who has taken a series of hard-line conservative positions, faces disdain from fellow Republican Gov. Hogan.
Hogan, who has called Cox 'a nutjob' said he has 'no chance' at becoming the governor shortly after Cox's nomination.
"I am glad Wes Moore has finally accepted an invitation to debate with me," Cox said in a statement. "So far, he has refused or declined to respond to several requests, including those from Morgan State University and the Maryland Federation of NARFE."
Moore has cited an unwillingness to platform Cox as a reason for declining to debate him. But now he says he sees it as an opportunity to contrast them as candidates.
"I look forward to the opportunity this October to contrast my vision and values with Dan Cox's far-right agenda," said Wes Moore. "The stakes of this election could not be more clear. If Dan Cox wins, he will ban abortion, undermine our free and fair election system, and defund our public schools."
Moore holds a big fundraising advantage over Cox so far in the governor's race — with more than 10 times the cash on hand when money raised by their running mates is added to the amounts they have raised, according to the latest campaign finance reports.
