# Governor / Lieutenant Governor

**In one sentence:** The governor runs Maryland's executive branch, leads the state's military forces and proposes the yearly state budget for a four-year term [2]. You vote for one governor/lieutenant governor team [1].

## The candidates

### Wes Moore and Aruna Miller (Democratic)
- **Background:** Moore was born in Takoma Park, was a Rhodes Scholar and served in the Army's 82nd Airborne in Afghanistan [3]. His campaign says he led the Robin Hood Foundation, an anti-poverty group [5]. Miller is a civil engineer and a former county traffic engineer [4].
- **Top stated priorities:** The campaign says it is building "pathways to work, wages, and wealth" [6]. In the debate, Moore said he is fighting federal tariffs and health care cuts [14].
- **Record or experience relevant to this office:** Moore has been governor since January 2023 [3]. Miller has been lieutenant governor since 2023 and served as a delegate from 2011 to 2019 [4]. Moore signed an order calling for more state review of data centers. The Key Bridge finish date slipped to 2030 [14]. In the debate, he did not answer whether he regretted his past Bronze Star claims [14].

### Dan Cox and Rob Krop (Republican)
- **Background:** His campaign says Cox is a lifelong Marylander, attorney and small-business owner [7]. He lost to Moore in 2022 [14]. State records list Krop in Frederick County [1]. Not found in sources checked: other background on Krop.
- **Top stated priorities:** Cut income and corporate tax rates to 4.9%, reverse fees, bring power plants back online, start the Key Bridge by emergency order, pause all data centers and stop "Flock" surveillance cameras [8].
- **Record or experience relevant to this office:** His campaign says he was a town council member and a state delegate [7]. As a delegate in 2020, he supported tax breaks for data centers [14]. In the debate, he was asked about organizing buses to the Jan. 6 rally and calling Mike Pence a traitor. He said he regretted the post and called the question "political TMZ" [14].

### Andy Ellis and Owen Silverman Andrews (Green)
- **Background:** His campaign says Ellis is a Baltimore debate coach who led Towson to a 2008 national title and spent about 15 years in corporate tech [9]. Andrews describes himself as an activist and adult English teacher [12].
- **Top stated priorities:** Stop data centers, end "the corruption of the two-party system" and build an economy "for all" [10]. He also wants to declare climate and energy emergencies and fully fund public schools [11].
- **Record or experience relevant to this office:** Not found in sources checked: any elected office. His campaign says he served on Baltimore's 2023-2024 Charter Review Commission [9]. He polled at 3% and was not included in the debate [14].

### Cathy White and Cathy Permut (Working Class Party)
- **Background:** White says she has worked 40 years as a factory production worker and cared for her mother and sister [13]. State records list Permut in Baltimore City [1]. Not found in sources checked: other background on Permut.
- **Top stated priorities:** Build a political group for workers and take on jobs, low wages, inflation, child and elder care costs, and retirement. She also opposes a war in the Middle East [13].
- **Record or experience relevant to this office:** She calls herself "not a professional politician" [13]. Not found in sources checked: any elected office. The ticket says it gathered more than 12,000 signatures to get on the ballot [15]. She polled at 3% [14].

## Where they differ
- **Taxes:** Cox pledged not to raise taxes or fees [14]. Asked whether he would raise taxes, Moore talked about private investment instead [14]. Not found in sources checked: tax plans from Ellis or White.
- **Data centers:** Cox wants a moratorium, meaning a pause [8]. Moore wants more review and plans to push to repeal their tax credits [14]. Ellis says "stop the data centers" [10]. White: Not found in sources checked.
- **Energy:** Cox wants power plants back online plus "SMRs and LNGs" (small nuclear reactors and liquefied natural gas) [8]. Ellis wants a climate and energy emergency declared [11].

## If you care most about...
- **Living costs** -> Cox: lower tax rates and no new taxes [8][14]. Moore: blames tariffs and is pushing for private investment [14]. White: wages and care costs [13]. Ellis: an economy "for all" [10].
- **Data centers** -> See above. Cox and Moore have both changed their positions [14].
- **The Key Bridge** -> Moore says it will open "in record time." Cox says he would build it "24/7" [14]. Ellis and White: Not found in sources checked.
- **Choices beyond two parties** -> Ellis and White both call the two-party system unfair to them [16].

## What we could not verify
- Backgrounds of Rob Krop and Cathy Permut.
- Moore's full campaign platform (his issues page would not load).
- Ballotpedia blocked our access. We did not check Vote411.

## Confidence
Medium. Official records confirm the basic facts, but many priorities come only from campaign sites or one debate article.

## Sources
[1] 2026 Gubernatorial General Election State Candidates List - Maryland State Board of Elections - https://elections.maryland.gov/elections/2026/General_candidates/2026_GG_statewide_candidatelist.html
[2] Governor: Origin & Functions - Maryland Manual - https://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual/08conoff/html/01govf.html
[3] Wes Moore, Governor - Maryland Manual - https://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual/08conoff/gov/html/msa18374.html
[4] Aruna K. Miller, Lt. Governor - Maryland Manual - https://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual/08conoff/ltgov/html/msa15449.html
[5] About (candidate's own claims) - Wes Moore campaign - https://wesmoore.com/about/
[6] Home (candidate's own claims) - Wes Moore campaign - https://wesmoore.com/
[7] About Dan Cox (candidate's own claims) - Dan Cox campaign - https://dancoxforgovernor.com/about-dan-cox/
[8] Issues (candidate's own claims) - Dan Cox campaign - https://dancoxforgovernor.com/issues/
[9] Meet Andy (candidate's own claims) - Ellis campaign - https://www.gogreen2026.com/meet-andy
[10] Priorities (candidate's own claims) - Ellis campaign - https://www.gogreen2026.com/priorities
[11] Platform (candidate's own claims) - Ellis campaign - https://www.gogreen2026.com/platform
[12] Meet Owen (candidate's own claims) - Ellis campaign - https://www.gogreen2026.com/meet-owen
[13] Candidate statement (candidate's own claims) - Working Class Party of Maryland - https://sites.google.com/view/wcp-md
[14] Moore and Cox bring heat to debate, but will it alter the race? - Maryland Matters - https://marylandmatters.org/2026/10/06/moore-and-cox-bring-heat-to-debate-but-will-it-alter-the-race/
[15] The ballot takes shape, as state officials certify a handful of third-party hopefuls for Nov. 3 - Maryland Matters - https://marylandmatters.org/2026/09/05/the-ballot-takes-shape-as-state-officials-certify-a-handful-of-third-party-hopefuls-for-nov-3/
[16] Third-party candidates decry exclusion from only debate of the governor's race - Maryland Matters - https://marylandmatters.org/2026/10/05/third-party-candidates-decry-exclusion-from-only-debate-of-the-governors-race/