From City Hall intern to Democratic nominee, Wes Moore has former mayor Schmoke behind him

A photo behind Wes Moore’s desk reminds him of where he started in politics, at a moment when his boss was consumed by the problem of public safety in Baltimore. The photo of Moore with Kurt Schmoke is much more than a reminder. In one way, it points to progress: Schmoke was the first elected Black mayor of Baltimore, and Moore could become the first Black governor of Maryland. In another way, the image underscores a challenge that whomever the next governor is will face come January. With Maryland’s largest city registering over 300 homicides each of the last seven years since Republican Gov. Larry Hogan took office, Moore said he’d prioritize public safety by hiring more parole officers and using state resources to help solve crime.