Wes Moore has devoted his life to a basic principle—no matter their start in life, everyone deserves an equal opportunity to succeed and a bright future. As an Army veteran, Moore knows the value of responsible gun ownership and the threat firearms pose when they fall into the hands of dangerous people. Seeing gun crimes and gun deaths rise across his home state, he is now running for governor because he embraces what he believes is the chief executive’s greatest responsibility: ensuring the public’s safety. 

Moore is a strong believer in the effectiveness of commonsense gun safety measures such as universal background checks and extreme risk protection orders that would keep firearms out of the hands of those who pose a danger to themselves or others. As governor, he would work to implement those policies to keep communities safe. One of the biggest parts of Moore’s campaign is his comprehensive public safety plan aimed at swiftly and aggressively combating the scourge of gun violence in Maryland. The plan includes investing in community violence intervention programs and bringing together a diverse coalition of stakeholders to design a statewide strategy to address the root causes of gun violence. This coalition will work not only to keep communities safe, but to build strong, long-lasting partnerships between law enforcement and communities to connect individuals at risk of violence with essential resources and interrupt lethal cycles of gun violence

Governors have an essential role in the fight to end gun violence, and electing gun safety champions is more important than ever. Maryland deserves a governor who will fight to pass lifesaving gun safety policies and keep them safe—and we know Wes Moore will not quit until every community can live in a state free from senseless violence.

We are proud to endorse Wes Moore for governor of Maryland.