Exclusive: Gov. Wes Moore has thoughts on all the chatter about 2028

If anyone was hoping the nation’s sole Black governor would use his growing national status to hint at a 2028 presidential run, they’re going to have to keep waiting.

After fellow governors elected Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) to lead the National Governors Association (NGA) — a role that has historically elevated governors onto the national stage — the Democrat is making one thing abundantly clear: he’s not interested in talking about the next presidential election.

Instead, he’s strategizing about the upcoming one.

In an exclusive interview with The Root, Gov. Moore dismissed growing speculation surrounding 2028, arguing that Democrats have far more urgent problems to solve.

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“I can’t tell you enough how laser-focused I am on November,” Moore told political journalist Nii-Quartelai Quartey. “I just think that anything that anyone is talking about, if it’s not November, is just a distraction.”

With President Donald Trump set to leave office in 2028, Democrats are scrambling to hoist their successor to the forefront. Of the rumored candidates, Moore stands out as one of his party’s fastest-rising stars.

Since taking office in Maryland in 2023, Moore has repeatedly landed on lists of potential future presidential contenders. His military background, bestselling memoir, executive experience and ability to connect with voters have made him one of the party’s most talked-about leaders. His election as chair of the NGA only intensified that speculation, giving him an even larger national platform heading into the midterms.

But Moore doesn’t sound like someone interested in entertaining presidential buzz… In fact, he explained why he thinks Democrats already mapping out 2028 are missing the point entirely.

“For me, anybody who is spending their time in 2026 talking about 2028 or planning for 2028, it tells me that you’re not a serious contender,” Moore said. “It tells me that you’re not a person who I could consider backing.”

Moore’s argument is simple: there won’t be much of a future to compete over if Democrats don’t win now.

“The house is on fire,” he said. “The president is trying to take every single means to be able to alter how these elections are going to work inside of November. We are watching our people lose their jobs and their health care. We are watching the prices of everything go up.”

For Moore, that’s where the conversation should begin and end. The comments also underscore where the governor’s own political attention is focused. Unlike some Democratic governors who aren’t on the ballot for reelection this year, Moore is.

“I am just laser-focused on not just my own election,” he told The Root. With less than 100 days until the November election, the incumbent said his focus extends beyond Maryland.

“I don’t want to just be re-elected,” Moore added. “I’ve got to make sure that I’m bringing partners and friends along with me because we need more people and fighters who are going to ensure that our people are going to be okay in this moment.”