ANNAPOLIS, MD — Governor Wes Moore today delivered the keynote address during the closing session of the 2025 Maryland Association of Counties summer conference in Ocean City. The governor spoke about progress made by the Moore-Miller Administration, and outlined the path forward to secure Maryland’s future amid federal headwinds.
Excerpts from Governor Moore’s speech as prepared:
“You’ve seen the headlines: Mass layoffs, higher prices, universities under attack, mass deportations, cuts to programs like food assistance and health care – just to pay for big tax breaks for billionaires.”
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“Look, I understand that some people view Maryland as a ‘deep-blue state.’ But these policies from D.C. are hurting Democrats and Republicans. And if there’s anyone who understands that, it’s you, the leaders of the community.”
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“We will get through this crisis by leaning on the two things that have always guided us: God’s grace and steady leadership. Leadership rooted in the fact that we need each other. Leadership tempered by the knowledge that pain in any part of the state affects every part of the state. Leadership grounded in the conviction that we must move fast – and act with the kind of urgency that proves to Marylanders we understand just how quickly their lives are unraveling.”
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“Speed. That is what Marylanders are asking of us. And that is what I am asking of you. This mission requires a sharper focus – but it doesn’t require anything new. If there’s one thing these last two years have shown, it’s that we know how to move fast.”
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“We have real momentum as we move into the future. But it won’t be enough to keep pace. We need to speed up. And we must be in this work together. Gone are the days of ‘no’ and ‘slow.’ We need to be a state of ‘yes’ and ‘now.’ Partnership produces progress. But let’s not allow partnership to produce paralysis.”
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“We must go faster on affordable housing… We must go faster in our work to grow Maryland’s economy… We must do more to realize our aspirations for economic growth… We must go faster in our push to bring down the cost of energy… We must go faster to make health care more affordable.”
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“We must go faster to stand with higher education at a moment of unprecedented attack from Washington. And we must go faster to ensure Marylanders can access work, wages, and wealth, even if they don’t attend a college or university.”
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“We must go faster to keep our communities safe and deliver continued progress on bringing down violent crime. And we must go faster to break cycles of poverty that lead to violence in the first place.”
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“Urgency is the instrument of change. And you know who understands that? The people in this room… Let’s rally together and deliver results for our people – today. Not next year, not in a few months – today. We’re Maryland. We never rest on our laurels, and we always strive to move with a greater sense of impatience, as we bound toward the future.”
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“In the military, I learned that in easy times, anyone can show you anything. It’s the ones who lead in hard times who are remembered… It’s those who are willing to lead in hard times who become legendary. So let’s go out and be legends.”
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