May 8, 2026

Maryland Matters

by Bryan P. Sears and William J. Ford

Ferguson tops the list of names missing from list after months-long redistricting dispute with governor

Scores of Democratic candidates were endorsed Thursday by Gov. Wes Moore (D), but more notable than the endorsements were the handful of incumbent Democrats who did not make the governor’s list.

Chief among them was Senate President Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore City), who has been engaged in a high-profile fight with the governor over congressional redistricting. Ferguson ultimately won that fight, but attended Moore’s reelection campaign kickoff in Baltimore last week.

In the House, Moore endorsed 86 incumbent Democrats running for reelection and a number of newcomers, but left four delegates off the list: Aletheia McCaskill of Baltimore County, Gary Simmons of Anne Arundel County, Veronica Turner of Prince George’s County and Caylin Young of Baltimore City.

Moore’s endorsements, announced in an email Thursday afternoon, come just days before more than 500,000 mail-in ballots are scheduled to be sent to voters. In a prepared statement, Moore described those on the list as “the leaders who will help us finish the job.”

“In order to continue record drops in violent crime, keep lowering costs for Maryland families, and make our schools even stronger I need a team that will push back against Washington and push forward to build a Maryland that leaves no one behind. Together we will work day and night alongside one another to continue the progress we’ve seen throughout Maryland,” his statement said.

The statement does not address why Ferguson was not endorsed — to the surprise of some in the Senate. Also unclear is if an endorsement might be forthcoming in a future round of endorsements, if there is one before the June 23 primary. A spokesperson for the campaign said Moore “will continue to monitor and evaluate races across the state.”

“Governor Moore and Senate President Ferguson continue to communicate consistently, and work alongside one another to accomplish big things in Maryland,” the campaign said in a statement. “The governor is proud of the work that they have accomplished together, and he will continue to work with him and his team to lower costs, continue record drops in crime, and make our schools even stronger.”

But leaving Ferguson off the list surprised some Democratic senators.

“It’s common sense that there would be an agreement for two smart, effective Democratic leaders to endorse each other for reelection,” said Sen. Cheryl C. Kagan (D-Montgomery. “It’s obvious and common sense.”

Kagan said the two Democratic Party leaders ultimately have more in common with each other. The rift over redistricting is an outlier.

“In any scenario, whether it’s family, friends or work colleagues, we have differences of opinion, but ultimately we talk it out and we agree to move forward together,” she said. “We’re never going to agree on everything, but fundamentally we are aligned, and should be running that way, running for office that way, and then serving together that way.”

Some senators said they were told of an agreement between Moore and Ferguson to trade endorsements.

“What I’m aware of, is that there was some sort of an agreement that they were going to be supporting one another,” said Sen. Charles Sydnor (D-Baltimore County). “I have no idea what must have happened.”

Moore and Ferguson butted heads for months over midcycle congressional redistricting.

The governor appointed a panel that recommended a plan to make the state’s only Republican held district more competitive. The House passed the plan this year, but Ferguson, who served on Moore’s advisory panel, dug in and stymied the effort. The bill languished and died in the Senate Rules Committee.

As the redistricting advisory panel began its work, Moore’s campaign announced the creation of a campaign slate. The stated purpose of the Leave No One Behind Legislative Slate was to back Democrats who supported Moore’s agenda. The subtext of the slate was clear: Recalcitrant incumbents could face primary challenges from candidates backed by the governor.

Moore’s slate reported $250,000 — all transferred from the account of Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller — in a January campaign report. So far, Moore and Miller are the only candidates on the account.

Ferguson gained a challenger when Bobby LaPin, a social media personality and charter boat captain, filed for the seat. One of LaPin’s issues is Ferguson’s reluctance to redraw the congressional maps.

Moore’s office frequently painted Ferguson the villain who blocked the effort. The disagreement spilled out onto national television interviews by Moore. U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and other prominent Democrats called Ferguson out for stonewalling. One prominent left-leaning blog described Ferguson as the “most hated Democrat in America.”

Additionally, two Moore staffers, including his now departed deputy communications director, made token $50 donations to LaPin on the day he announced his candidacy.

But since then, tensions between Moore and Ferguson appeared to ease, with Ferguson appearing at Moore’s campaign kickoff Saturday.

In all, Moore backed 29 incumbent Democratic senators Thursday, as well as challengers in contested Democratic primaries for two open Senate seats and one with an incumbent.

In Southern Maryland, Moore endorsed Del. C.T. Wilson (D-Charles), who is seeking to fill the vacancy created when Sen. Arthur Ellis announced he would run for Congress. Wilson faces a primary challenge from Aaron Corbin.

The governor also endorsed Del. Mark Chang (D-Anne Arundel) to replace Senate Finance Chair Sen. Pamela Beidle (D-Anne Arundel), who announced her retirement in February, withdrawing minutes before the filing deadline while encouraging Chang to file for the seat that same night. Democrat Stephen Tillett is also running for Beidle’s seat.

Moore also backed Del. Malcolm Ruff (D-Baltimore City), who was appointed to the House in 2023, over Sen. Dalya Attar (D-Baltimore City), twice elected to the House and appointed to the Senate in 2025 over Ruff. The embattled Attar is seeking reelection while facing federal extortion charges.

Moore has not yet endorsed in the District 24 Senate race to replace Sen. Joanne C. Benson (D-Prince George’s), who is not seeking reelection. Del. Tiffany Alston and Kevin Ford Jr. will face off in the Democratic primary.

The vast majority of Moore’s endorsements across federal, state and local races Thursday, went to incumbents. All are Democrats.

Moore endorsed every incumbent congressional Democrat seeking reelection, including Rep. April McClain Delaney (D-6th) who faces a costly and bitter primary challenge from former Rep. David Trone. Thursday’s announcement followed Moore’s endorsement two weeks ago of Dan Schwartz in a four-way Democratic primary for the right to challenge Rep. Andy Harris, the only Republican in the state’s congressional delegation.

Moore did not include an endorsement in his list Thursday for the crowded 5th District primary, where 23 Democrats are competing to succeed longtime Rep. Steny Hoyer, who is retiring. But Del. Adrian Boafo (D-Prince George’s), who has already been endorsed by Hoyer, announced Friday that he has also been endorsed by Moore and Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), which Moore’s campaign confirmed.

House of Delegates

In the House, Moore endorsed more than 80 incumbents — including House Speaker Joseline Peña-Melnyk (D-Prince George’s and Anne Arundel) — and more than a half-dozen new candidates, most of whom were running in districts with vacant seats.

The campaign declined to comment on the exclusion of the four incumbents from the list.

The exclusion of McCaskill was not surprising. She was the sponsor of a reparations commission bill that Moore vetoed last year. McCaskill was vocal in her criticism of that veto, and also openly talked about how Moore’s campaign was recruiting a challenger.

Moore’s veto was ultimately overturned in December. McCaskill could not be reached for comment Thursday.

Simmons, a first-term Anne Arundel Democrat, recently won a case in the Maryland Supreme Court, which blocked a challenger for not living in the district. There have also been news reports questioning Simmons’ campaign expenses. Simmons did not respond to texts and phone messages seeking comment.

Turner was the only member of Prince George’s County District 26 who was not endorsed by the governor.

The two-term incumbent with deep union connections is typically a top vote getter among all delegate candidates in her county. Turner endorsed Tom Perez over Moore early in the 2022 Democratic primary for governor.

She is running with Del. Kriselda Valderrama, chair of the House Economic Matters Committee, and Del. Jamila J. Woods, who is completing her first term. Moore endorsed both Valderrama and Woods in the three-member district. Turner could not be reached for comment.

Two challengers are running against the three District 26 incumbents — Reginald Martin and Dani Moore-King, friend of the governor’s family.

Young, running for his second term, said he could not explain why Moore left him off the endorsement list.

“We just continue to focus on touching our residents,” Young said in a phone interview while campaigning Thursday in his district. “I appreciate the leadership of the governor. I’ve tried to move as a partner but, you know, they make the decisions they make, I can’t be too concerned about it. I got to focus on touching my residents, and that’s what’s important.”

Young was the subject of news reports that included video of an exchange with Baltimore City Police on New Year’s Eve in which Young identifies himself as a “local elected official.” Later, he can be heard saying “I’m not above the law, I’m on top.”

A woman in that case filed an assault charge against Young that was later dropped by a specially assigned prosecutor for lack of evidence. Still, Young later stepped down from his job as deputy director of the Baltimore City Mayor’s Office of Equity and Civil Rights.

Young said he believes there will be an additional round of endorsements from the governor.

“I’m focused, and if they come around on a second round, I hope that they see the value in my candidacy and will consider me for the second round,” he said.