Gov. Wes Moore (D-MD) is set to deliver commencement speeches in swing states, a move that would boost his national profile ahead of a rumored presidential bid.
Moore is planning addresses in North Carolina and Pennsylvania, in addition to a speech in his home state of Maryland. Audiences at Valley Forge Military Academy and College in Pennsylvania, the governor’s alma mater, Johnson C. Smith University, a historically Black college and university in North Carolina, and Frostburg State University in western Maryland will hear Moore speak in May, according to CBS News.
The development comes despite the governor recently seeking to deny widespread speculation he’s aiming to run for president in 2028.
“I love my job. I love what I’m doing,” Moore said during a recent CBS town hall. “I’m not running for president,” the governor added, though he declined to rule out a White House bid at some point in the future.
Moore’s office said this week the governor is “honored to be invited to celebrate the Class of 2026 — including graduates from Maryland, one of our nation’s historic HBCUs, and his own alma mater.” The commencements will be a “moment to the dedication, service, and promise of the next generation of leaders committed to uplifting communities in our state and across the country,” spokesman Ryhan Lake added.
Moore is among a slew of Democratic governors viewed as likely presidential contenders in 2028 or beyond. Others include Govs. Gavin Newsom (D-CA), Josh Shapiro (D-PA), Andy Beshear (D-KY), JB Pritzker (D-IL), and Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI).
HILLARY CLINTON SAYS DEMOCRATS HAVE ‘GOOD BENCH’ FOR 2028
In recent months, many of those governors have written memoirs or announced plans to release books, a common way for candidates seeking to set their narrative and introduce themselves to the public.
“There’s obviously that very tactical part of it, which is you just want to get everything out that you can, and then it’s taken care of, right? Because you have owned that narrative, and it’s in the public record,” Elizabeth Ashford, a Los Angeles-based strategist, previously told the Washington Examiner.
