When you join the Army, you quickly learn that results are what matter, and as a veteran, I’ll tell you why Gov. Wes Moore’s approval rating is rising: People are seeing results.
In less than four years, Moore has helped jumpstart Maryland’s economy, driven down violent crime, strengthened public schools and put more money in the pockets of working families. And he has done it while Maryland has faced unprecedented challenges from the Trump administration in Washington.
Start with our economy. Nearly 60,000 new businesses have been created during the Moore administration, and entrepreneurs are starting businesses at a rate 38% higher than before the pandemic. At a time when Maryland’s workforce has been uniquely targeted by federal layoffs, Moore has remained focused on creating jobs, attracting investment and building an economy that can compete for the future.
Marylanders are also safer.
Since Moore took office, homicides have fallen 44% statewide and non-fatal shootings have fallen by more than 50%. Auto thefts have also dropped significantly. These results didn’t happen by accident. They came from historic investments in public safety, better coordination between state and local partners and an all-of-the-above approach that supports law enforcement, holds violent offenders accountable and invests in the communities most affected by crime.
We are seeing progress in our public schools, too. For three years in a row, Maryland has made record investments in public education, including $10.1 billion for K-12 schools this year alone. The statewide teacher vacancy rate has fallen 25%, and students in nearly every grade have made improvements in reading and math.
Moore has also remained focused on an issue Maryland families feel every day: the cost of living.
During his first 100 days, he raised Maryland’s minimum wage to $15 an hour, increasing pay for more than 160,000 Marylanders. He expanded tax credits for families living in poverty, providing additional support to 34,000 Maryland children. And as families struggled with rising utility bills, he helped deliver more than $300 million in direct energy relief.
Compare that record with what we have seen from Washington.
The Trump administration has removed more than 25,000 Marylanders from their federal jobs due to federal cuts. Changes to SNAP are taking food assistance away from nearly 36,000 Maryland residents, meaning thousands of families could struggle to put food on the table as children return to school. And the average family is facing hundreds of dollars in additional energy costs as a result of instability caused by the administration’s actions abroad.
The contrast is clear: Washington is creating chaos while Moore is focused on delivering results.
While our national politics have become increasingly consumed by division, Moore has worked with Democrats and Republicans to solve problems. He has shown that government can still work when leaders are willing to put results ahead of politics.
That is what Marylanders are responding to.
They see fewer homicides and shootings. They see more businesses opening. They see investments in their children’s schools. They see higher wages and hundreds of millions of dollars in relief to help families struggling with energy bills.
There is more work to do. But Marylanders know they have a governor who wakes up every day fighting for them and who is willing to stand up when Washington attacks Maryland’s workers, families and economy.
Moore’s rising approval rating is evidence of something much more important: Marylanders believe their state is making progress.
He has worked across the aisle to grow our economy, make our communities safer, strengthen our schools and lower costs for working families. He is delivering real results for real people, and that is why Maryland must reelect Moore this November.
Derrick Whiting is a member of the Baltimore City District 40 Democratic Central Committee, the executive director of the Flowers Whiting Initiative and a Master of Social Work candidate at the University of Maryland, Baltimore.
