Md gov debate showcases sharp contrast between Cox and Moore
The sole scheduled confrontation in a lopsided campaign, the debate offered Cox a rare chance to pierce the air of inevitability around Moore. Moore, the Democratic nominee who is ahead in the polls by 32 percentage points, sought to motivate voters in the deeply blue state to show up and cast a ballot by painting Cox as extreme.
Cox, a far-right, conservative state delegate endorsed by former president Donald Trump, had the most at stake heading into the exchange. Moore, a best-selling author and former head of one of the country’s largest poverty-fighting organizations, holds a commanding fundraising lead with four weeks remaining until Election Day.
The debate, which began and ended with the two men shaking hands, was often contentious and at times aggressive.
In a series of sharp exchanges, Cox called Moore’s efforts to close the racial wealth gap a “racist” transfer of resources, and Moore labeled Cox “an extremist election-denier.”
Cox called Moore a “phony,” claiming that his book “The Other Wes Moore” was full of passages that were “completely false.” Moore has previously fended off claims he misconstrued whether he was born in Baltimore. He later said Cox, who has claimed the 2020 presidential election was “stolen,” was a candidate with “dangerous and divisive” policies.
Some of the sharpest divisions came as the men discussed abortion: Moore said Maryland should be a “safe haven” for health-care decisions made between a woman and her doctor, and Cox said he was “pro-life” and would “ensure that everyone is safe and that women and children and the unborn all have equal protection and they are supported by our laws.”
Both candidates tried to harness the popularity of Gov. Larry Hogan (R) by drawing favorable comparisons to the term-limited governor. Hogan has not given an endorsement in the race, but he has called Cox a “QAnon whack job” whom he doesn’t see fit to tour the governor’s office, let alone lead it.
Yet Cox tried to align himself with Hogan during the debate, saying he’s worked on the governor’s crime task force and stood with him against tax increases.
Asked by a moderator to give Hogan a letter grade, Cox awarded an “A,” with the exception of how the governor handled pandemic restrictions. Moore pointed out that Cox tried to impeach Hogan over those restrictions.
“He stood alone,” Moore said. “Even his Republican colleagues did not do that.”
Moore evaded the letter-grade question, offering Hogan an “incomplete” but praising him for “being so early and full-throated about the danger of this MAGA movement.”
Moore went on to…
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