In statewide races, FOP backs Dems for governor and attorney general
The Maryland State Fraternal Order of Police issued a brief statement this week highlighting the state’s largest police union endorsements in the upcoming general election.
“On behalf of the 21,000 Maryland State FOP members, delegates at the group’s biannual conference chose to endorse Democrat Wes Moore for governor, Republican Barry Glassman for comptroller and Democrat Anthony Brown for attorney general,” the union said.
Moore, who is running against Trump-backed GOP nominee Del. Dan Cox, touted the endorsement on Thursday.
“This endorsement reflects the strength of our coalition that is committed to ensuring public safety by bringing Maryland together,” Moore said in a statement. “There is no greater responsibility for a chief executive than ensuring that everyone in Maryland is safe in their own communities, and law enforcement has a critical role to play in that effort.”
The candidates had to earn more than 60% of the vote of those in attendance in order to secure the FOP’s endorsement.
Moore released a public safety plan in February that includes improving Maryland’s parole and probation system, targeting gun violence, investing in community-based violence intervention programs and connecting people at risk of violence to resources.
Asked whether the campaign worried that an endorsement from the police union would impact Moore’s support from progressive activists or police reform advocates, Brian Jones, a spokesperson, said no, because the union is well aware of Moore’s proposed reforms.
“The police plan is locked in,” he said, adding that the FOP’s endorsement is “all part of the broad coalition we’re building.”
The state FOP also made an endorsement at the federal level, backing 2nd District Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger (D) for re-election over GOP nominee Nicolee Ambrose.
Josh Kurtz
Founding editor
Founding Editor Josh Kurtz is a veteran chronicler of Maryland politics and government. He began covering the State House in 1995 for The Gazette newspapers, and has been writing about state and local politics ever since. He was an editor at Roll Call, the Capitol Hill newspaper, for eight years, and for eight years was the editor of E&E Daily, which covers energy and environmental policy on Capitol Hill. For 6 1/2 years Kurtz wrote a weekly column on state politics for Center Maryland and has written for several other Maryland publications as well. Kurtz regularly gives speeches and appears on TV and radio shows to discuss Maryland politics.
Danielle E. Gaines
Contributor
Danielle Gaines worked for Maryland Matters from September 2018 to January 2024. She covered government and politics for Maryland Matters for two years before moving into an editing position, ultimately serving as editor-in-chief for nearly three years. Previously, she spent six years at The Frederick News-Post ― as the paper’s principal government and politics reporter for half that time, covering courts and legal affairs before that. She also reported for the now-defunct The Gazette of Politics and Business in Maryland and previously worked as a county government and education reporter at The Merced Sun-Star in California’s Central Valley.
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