The early primary state of South Carolina will have a prominent figure headlining the Democrats’ 2025 Blue Palmetto Dinner on Friday: Gov. Wes Moore (D-MD).
Moore is a rising star of the Democratic Party, and his appearances across the country have stoked speculation that, despite his dismissal, he has an eye on the Oval Office.
Democrats are desperate for fresh blood and new leaders following President Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 presidential election. Many have turned to Moore, 46, the first black governor of Maryland following his win in 2022, as an answer to their prayers.
Moore said on ABC’s The View that he is not planning for a presidential run in 2028, insisting his focus is on doing what is best for the state of Maryland in the present day.
“I think that anyone who is, you know, focusing their time and their efforts trying to audition for 2028, to me, what it says is, you’re not taking 2025 very seriously,” he told Politico, adding that his focus is on winning a second term in Maryland in the 2026 midterm elections.
But strategists say Moore’s prime-time slot at a Democratic event in a state indicative of how Democrats will perform across the country says more about Moore’s future plans than the governor’s own remarks.
“I always say, ‘Watch what they do, not what they say.’ If you are headlining a major event in South Carolina, Nevada, Iowa, New Hampshire, down the line, it probably means that you’re running for president,” Democratic strategist Jon Reinish said.
The Blue Palmetto Dinner, the biggest event of the year for South Carolina Democrats, gives Moore a chance to energize and mobilize the party in a state that Reinish said is “very representative of the Democratic base.”
In a statement to the Washington Examiner, South Carolina Democratic Party Chairwoman Christale Spain said Moore has exemplified “bold” and “visionary” leadership.
“His message of building a state that leaves no one behind has resonated with communities across the nation and continues to inspire Democrats here in South Carolina, and we’re expecting a packed house,” Spain said. “We are honored to have him join us and look forward to the powerful insight he will bring to this important event.”
Of the early primary states, South Carolina boasts the largest population of black voters — a historically blue voting bloc that shifted toward Trump in the 2024 election over concerns related to the economy.
“South Carolina has played a major role in picking the president over the last couple of cycles,” said one South Carolina Democratic strategist and consultant, who was granted anonymity to speak about campaign dynamics.
The strategist said Moore, who is one of the few African American governors, can bring “hope” to South Carolina and energize the Democratic voting base, something Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-SC) has done for decades as the state’s only Democratic representative.
“I think his energy, his optimism, is going to be huge for just energizing our base and remind folks to stay the course,” the strategist added.
Strategists all agreed that Moore fits an ideal profile of what Democrats are looking for: he’s young, he’s eloquent, and he has “no Washington baggage.”
“The rule in presidential politics, which I guess he just broke, is to never say never,” Democratic strategist Brad Bannon said. “Whether he left the door open or not, a little bit, I don’t know, but he’s got all the assets that Democrats could use in a presidential candidate.”
Moore catapulted into the national spotlight in early 2024 due to an infrastructure tragedy in his state. In March that year, the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed after being struck by a cargo ship, and lawmakers from both sides of the aisle praised Moore for his swift and immediate response in the days after the tragedy and months after as the Port of Baltimore reopened.
Many congressional leaders told the Washington Examiner in the aftermath of the collapse that the tragedy, while heartbreaking, would serve a personal and professional purpose to “elevate him” on the national stage.
Since then, Moore has been one of several Democrats eyed for a 2028 presidential run. In the first election where Trump will not be on the ballot since 2016, Republicans will be tasked with finding a candidate that can rally not just the Trump base but the broader GOP base as well.
Democrats have a more complicated task, as they must find a unifying candidate who can bring back the voting blocs lost to Trump and fight for social justice issues, while also prioritizing kitchen table issues that helped Republicans secure a trifecta last November.
If Moore does run, he could face a strong challenger in former Vice President Kamala Harris, though she has stoked speculation she may run for governor of California. But Bannon and Reinish both think Moore could face an advantage over any candidate tied to former President Joe Biden due to the last election and subsequent scrutiny over his health.
“Considering the fact that [Harris] was the most recent nominee and vice president for four years under Biden, that’s not terribly impressive,” Bannon said. “It will encourage a whole bunch of Democrats to get in the race…. In my opinion, we need someone outside of Washington, and we need someone young.”
Elder Democrats are facing a generational shift within the party as younger candidates and members who are displeased with the status quo are challenging incumbents or seeking high-profile leadership positions in droves.
Democratic strategist Hank Sheinkopf, who was a former consultant to President Bill Clinton, said he thinks Moore represents the centrist model to which Democrats should shift, despite calls from the left flank to be more progressive.
“He’s in the Bill Clinton centrist mode, and the Democrats have to figure a way, not so much to get back to the center, but to find people like Wes Moore, who can identify with people who work for a living and done the things that should be done,” Sheinkopf said.
Sheinkopf added that he thinks Moore would be a more successful candidate than the likes of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), whose hefty fundraising totals have raised speculation she may seek a Senate or presidential run.
Just because Moore said he isn’t running, however, doesn’t mean he isn’t playing the game by doing media appearances and attending dinners as the headliner. Sheinkopf said all presidential candidates have to start at the beginning, and most of that is creating relationships.
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“People who run for president have worked the country from end to end,” Sheinkopf said. “You raise money all over the country, have great relationships all over the country, so that people in power, or people who are decision-makers in campaigns and presidential campaigns, see with somebody that they can work with and who’s not distant.”
“It’s a great opportunity [for him], and I doubt he will fumble it,” Bannon said of Friday’s dinner. “I think he will take great advantage of it. It really is a showpiece for the start of the Democratic presidential campaign, and anybody who does well in South Carolina early ahead of 2028 will get a big boost.”