FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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June 25, 2022
The AFRO endorses Wes Moore for Maryland Governor
Historic Black newspaper endorses Moore in pivotal election for Maryland families
AFRO calls Moore ‘a uniquely qualified public servant and an accomplished executive with the experience and vision to move Maryland forward.’
BALTIMORE (June 25, 2022) – Leading Democratic candidate for Maryland governor Wes Moore has received the endorsement of the AFRO American Newspapers, America’s longest running Black owned news outlet, and a stalwart news institution in the United States with a strong base in Baltimore for 130 years.
Moore, who would become Maryland’s first Black governor, and just the third Black governor elected in the United States, secured the newspaper’s coveted endorsement in the crowded Democratic primary to become the next governor of Maryland.
“It’s a great day for the Moore-Miller campaign,” said Wes Moore. “The AFRO is more than a news publication. It is a source of pride for its generational service and commitment to Baltimore, a voice for our neighborhoods, and a beacon of what’s possible. I am honored to receive their endorsement.”
About the endorsement, Frances “Toni” Draper, CEO and Publisher of the AFRO American Newspapers, said: “The AFRO enthusiastically endorses Wes Moore for Governor of Maryland. Moore is a uniquely qualified public servant and an accomplished executive with the experience and vision to move Maryland forward.
“His diverse and broad coalition of supporters stretches across the state, and his message of inclusivity and opportunity for all Marylanders will resonate everywhere.”
The AFRO announcement comes in the wake of the recent endorsement from Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson (District 46) and Rep. Kweisi Mfume (MD-7).
Mfume said Moore “represents a new generation of leadership with the courage to fight and fix the problems we face everyday.”
When former Democratic nominee and civil rights leader Ben Jealous endorsed Moore, he heralded him as “a once-in-a-generation leader who can build the coalitions we need to win in November and deliver the economic progress working families need across Maryland. I’m proud to support him and I will fight to ensure he becomes our next governor.”
Moore recently picked up endorsements from Prince George’s County leaders and the League of Conservation Voters, adding to Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates Adrienne Jones (District 10), Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks, the Maryland State Education Association, the state’s largest professional employee organization, and Collective PAC, an organization dedicated to electing Black leadership.
In his bid to become the next Governor of Maryland, Wes Moore has earned the support of U.S. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (MD-5); U.S. Rep. Kweisi Mfume (MD-7); Governor and former Prince George’s County Executive Parris Glendening; Former Democratic nominee for Governor Ben Jealous; Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks; Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman; Former Baltimore County Executive Don Mohler; Former Baltimore County Executive Jim Smith; Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy; Senate President Bill Ferguson (District 46); Sen. Malcolm Augustine (District 47); Senate President Pro Tempore Melony Griffith (District 25); Sen. Guy Guzzone (District 13); Sen. Antonio Hayes (District 40); Sen. Mike Jackson (District 27); Sen. Cheryl Kagan (District 17); Sen. Delores Kelley (District 10); Sen. Susan Lee (District 16); Sen. Obie Patterson (District 26); Sen. Paul Pinsky (District 22); Sen. Ron Watson (District 23); Former Sen. Nathaniel McFadden (District 45); Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates Adrienne Jones (District 10); Del. Marlon Amprey (District 40); Del. Vanessa Atterbeary (District 13); Del. Ben Barnes (District 21); Del. Kumar Barve (District 17); Del. Lisa Belcastro (District 11); Del. Regina Boyce (District 43); Del. Chanel Branch (District 45); Former Del. Karen Britto (District 16); Del. Ben Brooks (District 10); Del. Frank Conaway, Jr. (District 40); Del. Debra Davis (District 28); Del. Jessica Feldmark (District 13); Del. Jim Gilchrist (District 17); Del. Andrea Harrison (District 24); Del. Terri Hill (District 12); Del. Rachel Jones (District 27B); Del. Anne Kaiser (District 14); Del. Cheryl Landis (District 23B); Democratic Caucus Chair Del. Jazz Lewis (District 24); Majority Leader Del. Eric Luedtke (District 14); Del. Maggie McIntosh (District 43); Del. Edith Patterson (District 28); Del. Roxane Prettyman (District 44A); Del. Susie Proctor (District 27A); Del. Mike Rogers (District 32); Del. Sandy Rosenberg (District 41); Speaker Pro Tem Del. Sheree Sample-Hughes (District 37A); Del. Emily Shetty (District 18); Del. and Baltimore City Delegation Chair Stephanie Smith (District 45); Del. Geraldine Valentino-Smith (District 23A); Del. Melissa Wells (District 40); Del. Nicole Williams (District 22); Former Del. Gene Counihan (District 15); Washington Grove Mayor and former MCDCC Chair Darrell Anderson; Baltimore County Councilmember Cathy Bevins (District 6); University Park Councilmember and Mayor-Elect Joel Biermann; Bowie Mayor Pro Tem & Councilmember Adrian Boafo; Baltimore City Councilmember John Bullock (District 9); Hagerstown City Councilmember Tiara Burnett; Morningside Mayor Bennard Cann; Acting Cambridge Mayor Lajan Cephas; Charles County Commissioner Thomasina Coates (District 2); Baltimore City Councilmember Zeke Cohen (District 1); Baltimore City Councilmember Mark Conway (District 4); Baltimore City Councilmember Eric Costello (District 11); Prince George’s County Councilmember Tom Dernoga (District 1); Bowie City Councilmember Michael Esteve (District 11); Former Kensington Mayor Pete Fosselman; Kensington Mayor Tracey Furman; Prince George’s County Council Chair Calvin Hawkins (At Large); Gaithersburg Councilmember Lisa Henderson; Montgomery County Councilmember Will Jawando (At Large); Baltimore County Council Chair and Councilmember Julian Jones (District 4); Hagerstown Mayor Emily Keller; Hagerstown City Councilmember Tekesha Martinez; Prince George’s County Councilmember Johnathan Medlock (District 6); Laurel Mayor Craig Moe; Former Gaithersburg Councilmember Yvette Monroe; Pocomoke City Councilmember Todd Nock (District 4); Baltimore City Councilmember Phylicia Porter (District 10); Baltimore County Councilmember Tom Quirk (District 1); Baltimore City Councilmember Odette Ramos (District 14); Somerset Mayor Jeffrey Slavin; Riverdale Park Councilmember Richard Smith (Ward 1); Laurel Councilmember Brencis Smith (Ward 2); Baltimore City Councilmember Robert Stokes (District 12); Prince George’s County Councilmember Rodney Streeter (District 7); Baltimore City Councilmember James Torrence (District 7); Forest Heights Mayor Calvin Washington; Joe Vogel, candidate for delegate in District 17; Former Maryland Democratic Party chairs Michael Cryor and Susie Turnbull; Former Chair of the Montgomery County Planning Board Royce Hanson; Former Chair of the Public Service Commission Kevin Hughes; Christopher Stevenson, candidate for delegate in District 24; The AFRO American Newspapers; The Baltimore Fire Officers Union Local 964; Collective PAC, one of the nation’s largest organizations working to build Black representation in government; Impact, a leading national organization supporting the Indian American and South Asian community; Ironworkers Local #5, a progressive union representing over 1,000 ironworkers; The Maryland League of Conservation Voters; The Maryland State Education Association; VoteVetsPAC, one of the top veterans advocacy organizations in the country.
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