Dan Cox, a Republican attorney and former state delegate, is running for governor of Maryland in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. His running mate is Rob Krop.

Cox faces Democrat Wes Moore, along with Cathy White of the Working Class Party and Steven Ellis of the Green Party.

The governor of Maryland serves as the state's chief executive, overseeing the state budget, signing or vetoing legislation and appointing agency heads. Decisions on taxes, housing policy and energy regulation directly affect Montgomery County residents.

Candidate information

  • Party: Republican
  • Office sought: Governor of Maryland
  • Running mate: Rob Krop
  • Education: Bachelor's degree in government, University of Maryland (2002); juris doctor, Regent University (2006)
  • Family: Father of 10

Experience and public service

Cox served as a delegate in the Maryland House of Delegates representing District 4 from 2019 to 2023. Before entering politics, he worked as a high school teacher at Walkersville Christian Family Schools from 1995 to 2005, according to Ballotpedia. He then practiced as a civil litigation attorney at the Law Offices of John Seipp from 2006 to 2007 before founding Cox Law Center LLC, where he has served as attorney and principal since 2007.

This is Cox's second bid for governor, Maryland Matters reported.

On the issues

The following positions are drawn from Cox's campaign website and his responses via BallotReady. They reflect the candidate's own statements.

Taxes and budget

Cox said he wants to reduce or eliminate taxes and fees he considers burdensome. He said Marylanders "should not be pressured to leave our state because it taxes you with burdensome property, estate, and income taxes," according to his campaign responses. He said counties would receive a reprieve from increased state mandates and costs under his administration and that the state budget would prioritize funding for county needs. Cox also said the current governor has increased taxes and fees to fund projects voters did not agree to.

Housing

Cox said he plans what he called "an aggressive affordability program." He said he would consider mortgage down-payment assistance and tax credits for first-time and young home buyers, reduce building costs and permitting requirements, and increase tax write-off options for home building and renovation, according to his campaign responses. He also said he would pursue statewide limits on property taxes, including caps and, where possible, elimination of property taxes to prevent seniors from being taxed out of their homes.

Economy

Cox said Maryland is one of the highest-taxed states in America. He said he believes in creating opportunities where every Marylander "has a fair shot at success, and where taxes, fees, and the cost of living are slashed," according to his campaign website.

Energy and environment

Cox said he is focused on reducing energy costs and achieving what he called self-sustaining energy. His proposals include expanding household energy competition, providing incentives to reopen or redesign Maryland power plants with clean liquefied natural gas and studying small modular reactors, according to his campaign responses.

Border security and immigration

Cox said he supports securing borders to combat what he called deadly increases in fentanyl trafficking and preserving community resources, according to his campaign website.

Policy positions were drawn from the candidate's campaign website and responses submitted via BallotReady. The Bethesda Beacon did not interview the candidate for this profile.