For Immediate Release

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, The Next 50 announced its support of Maryland Governor Wes Moore in his campaign for re-election. Governor Moore made history in 2022 as Maryland’s first Black Governor in the state’s 246-year history, and is just the third African American elected Governor in the history of the United States. The Next 50 supported Moore in his successful 2022 campaign for Governor. 

“Governor Wes Moore represents the very best of next-generation Democratic leadership,” said Mari Manoogian, Executive Director of The Next 50. “From his service as a combat veteran in Afghanistan to his work lifting families out of poverty as CEO of the Robin Hood Foundation, Governor Moore has dedicated his life to tackling our toughest challenges. As Governor, he’s bringing that same commitment to leading Maryland with vision and purpose, and we are proud to continue our partnership with Governor Moore by supporting his re-election campaign.”

“We must continue to show Marylanders from across the state and party lines that there’s a better way forward to make our economy stronger and everyday life more affordable,” said Governor Wes Moore. “I’m asking Marylanders to reelect Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller and I so we can continue the progress we’ve seen throughout Maryland to make our public schools the best in America, to end childhood poverty once and for all, and to make sure more Marylanders can afford to live here, buy a home, create wealth for their families, and live a secure middle-class life. Together with the help of organizations like The Next 50 we will keep building a state where we leave no one behind.”

ABOUT MARYLAND GOVERNOR WES MOORE

Wes Moore is the 63rd Governor of the state of Maryland. He is Maryland’s first Black Governor in the state’s 246-year history, and is just the third African American elected Governor in the history of the United States.

Born in Takoma Park, Maryland, on October 15, 1978, to Joy and Westley Moore, Moore’s life took a tragic turn when his father died of a rare, but treatable virus when he was just three years old. After his father’s death, his family moved to the Bronx to live with Moore’s grandparents before returning to Maryland at age 14.

Moore is a proud graduate of Valley Forge Military Academy and College, where he received an Associate’s degree in 1998, and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army. Afterward, he went on to earn his Bachelor’s in international relations and economics at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa.

While at Johns Hopkins, Moore interned in the office of former Baltimore Mayor Kurt Schmoke. Moore was the first Black Rhodes Scholar in the history of Johns Hopkins University. As a Rhodes Scholar, he earned a Master’s in international relations from Wolfson College at Oxford.

In 2005, Moore deployed to Afghanistan as a lieutenant with the 82nd Airborne Division, leading soldiers in combat. Immediately upon returning home, Moore served as a White House Fellow, advising on issues of national security and international relations.

In 2010, Moore wrote “The Other Wes Moore,” a story about the fragile nature of opportunity in America, which became a perennial New York Times bestseller. He went on to write other best-selling books that reflect on issues of race, equity, and opportunity, including his latest book “Five Days,” which tells the story of Baltimore in the days that followed the death of Freddie Gray in 2015.

Moore built and launched a Baltimore-based business called BridgeEdU, which reinvented freshman year of college for underserved students to increase their likelihood of long-term success. BridgeEdu was acquired by the Brooklyn-based student financial success platform, Edquity, in 2018.

It was Moore’s commitment to taking on our toughest challenges that brought him to the Robin Hood Foundation, where he served for four years as CEO. During his tenure, the Robin Hood Foundation distributed over $600 million toward lifting families out of poverty, including here in Maryland.

While the Robin Hood Foundation is headquartered in New York City, Wes and his family never moved from their home in Baltimore. Moore has also worked in finance with Deutsche Bank in London and with Citigroup in New York.

Moore and his wife, First Lady Dawn Flythe Moore​, have two children – Mia and James –​ and a dog, Tucker Balti.

ABOUT THE NEXT 50

The Next 50 was founded in 2019 to build the infrastructure needed for long-term Democratic success by deliberately investing in next-generation leadership. Since its founding, The Next 50 has supported nearly 100 candidates across the country, achieving a nation-leading win rate of 70% in the 2023-24 cycle. The organization develops leaders’ capabilities while building their political and fundraising networks, ensuring the Democratic Party’s bench is stacked with talented communicators and skilled political operators.