Moore’s appearance in a crucial early primary state further fuels chatter that the nation’s lone Black governor could help shape the future of a beleaguered Democratic Party.

Wes Moore made an early and urgent appeal Friday to one of the nation’s most important Democratic constituencies. The first-term governor of Maryland said Democrats must adapt and change to counter President Donald Trump and improve life for the middle class if they have any hope of returning to power.

Moore, who said he won't run for president in 2028, will headline the South Carolina Blue Palmetto Dinner, a major event to start building a national profile.