It’s hardly news that Wes Moore, the Democratic nominee for governor, is highlighting his military service as part of his campaign.
Since entering the race over a year ago, Moore has spoken frequently about how his military career has shaped his worldview and his political philosophy. He says that serving in the Army, as a captain in Afghanistan, taught him “to leave no one behind” — a sentiment that he has adopted as a political slogan to indicate his desire to lift all Marylanders.
He also recounts that when fellow soldiers were in distress, “nobody asked if they were Democrats or Republicans.” That line is used to buttress his assertion that he’s trying to appeal to all voters during the campaign and won’t just be in office to serve Democrats if elected.
If he wins in November, Moore, who is 43, would be the first military veteran to serve as Maryland’s governor since William Donald Schaefer (D), who held office from 1987 to 1995. Schaefer oversaw Army hospital operations in Europe during World War II and then served in the Army reserves, retiring with the rank of colonel in 1979.
