Wes Moore addresses 2028 run, Democratic future and affordability concerns

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore used a Feb. 15, 2026, CBS Mornings appearance to keep the door open on a possible 2028 presidential run while centering affordability, political division and the 250th anniversary of the United States. The interview centered on the 2026 midterms and the future of the Democratic Party.

Moore had told NBC’s Meet the Press in September 2025 that he was not running for president in 2028, but he did not give a direct answer during a June 2026 stop in Michigan.

America 250 is the effort to shape the country’s semiquincentennial. Two separate planning tracks are moving ahead: Freedom 250, a White House-connected public-private partnership, and America250, the congressionally created commission. Some performers have backed out of Freedom 250 events over concerns about politicization.

A January 2026 Maryland REALTORS survey found that 49% of young professionals were considering leaving the state because of unaffordable housing. In the same survey, 90% of voters said buying a home in Maryland was too expensive, 88% said rent was too expensive, and 62% said there was too little housing for moderate-income residents.

Maryland is short about 100,000 homes, and Maryland REALTORS leaders say the state will need roughly 600,000 new housing units by 2045 to keep pace with population growth. Moore signed an executive order in September 2025 intended to speed housing construction and expand availability.

On Face the Nation in April 2026, Moore pointed to rising gas prices, inflation, mortgage rates and higher energy bills, saying his mother’s bill had climbed from $140 to nearly $500. He said governors cannot control global energy or mortgage markets, but can try to hold corporations accountable and provide rebates.