Sounding the Alarm: Don’t Let Virginia Get ‘Marylanded’!”

Sounding the Alarm: Don’t Let Virginia Get ‘Marylanded’!” Being “Moore” like Maryland is not Good, Says Top Virginian

Republican frontrunner to succeed Glen Youngkin as Virginia Governor, Lt. Governor Winsome Earle-Sears recently took to Facebook to call out Virginia Democrats for policies she says would turn the Commonwealth into “Maryland 2.0,” a place of higher taxes, lenient crime policies, and a failed education agenda. She reignited the debate about Maryland’s current governance and economic competitiveness under Gov. Wes Moore.[i]

Maryland is grappling with a projected $3 billion budget deficit—the largest in two decades, with Gov. Wes Moore proposing higher taxes.[ii] Critics argue that these tax hikes could drive away high earners and businesses, further weakening the state’s economy. Stephen Slivinski, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute, warns that Maryland could follow in California’s footsteps, where similar tax policies led to an exodus of wealthy residents seeking better tax environments.[iii]

In stark contrast, under Republican Governor Youngkin’s administration, Virginians have had more than $5 billion in tax cuts over three years and a $2.1 billion surplus for the current year, compared with the adopted budget. [iv] While Maryland is struggling with shortfalls and debating higher taxes, Virginia has been able to return tax revenue to its citizens and invest in infrastructure and public safety. [v]

The disparity highlights the broader debate over governance: Maryland’s higher taxes and increased government spending have led to financial struggles, while Virginia’s more conservative fiscal policies have left the state in a stronger economic position.

According to the Maryland Chamber of Commerce, this economic strain is reflected in population trends. “Neighboring states, like Virginia and Delaware, are seeing significant population growth while Maryland is seeing our population growth stagnate,” the Chamber stated. They pointed out that Maryland ranked among the top states for domestic migration losses in 2023, with only five states—Massachusetts, New Jersey, Illinois, New York, and California—experiencing worse population outflows.[vi]

Meanwhile, Southern states like Florida, Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Georgia are booming. “Our net migration losses indicate deeper issues affecting Maryland’s ability to attract and retain residents,” the Chamber continued. “As other states draw more people and business investment, Maryland faces increasing regional competition.”

Maryland’s teacher union-driven “Blueprint for the Future,” also known as the Kirwan Plan, is a multi-billion-dollar, decade-long education initiative. While intended to improve educational outcomes, critics warn it lacks accountability metrics and has become an unsustainable financial burden on the state, triggering budget shortfalls.

Former Maryland Republican Gov. Bob Ehrlich, Governor from 2003 to 2007, addressed Earle-Sears’ comment in a social media post on X.

“Virginia’s Lt. Governor has a warning for the Commonwealth: ‘Don’t Maryland my Virginia,’” Ehrlich wrote. “So Maryland has morphed into a verb — a symbol of things broken & woke.”[vii]  Ehrlich’s remarks echo growing concerns among conservatives that Maryland’s policy trajectory has made it a cautionary tale rather than a model worth following.

Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears’ warning—“Not. On. My. Watch.”—captures the growing concern among Virginia conservatives that their state may follow Maryland’s trajectory. With Virginia and neighboring states seeing more substantial economic and population growth, the debate over Maryland’s policies and competitiveness is more relevant than ever.  As Maryland faces increasing regional competition for residents and businesses, the state’s position has been deteriorating.   

Consequently, Virginia’s voters face stark choices about which model to follow. Do they stay the course set by Governor Glen Youngkin, or do they change direction toward following Maryland Gov. Wes Moore’s model of more spending, higher taxes, and competitive economic decline?

Winsome Sears is a Jamaican-born American politician, businesswoman, and former U.S. Marine. In 2021, she made history as the first woman and first woman of color to be elected Lieutenant Governor of Virginia. A staunch conservative, Sears has been a vocal advocate for school choice, tax cuts, and law-and-order policies.[viii]

Before entering politics, she served in the U.S. Marine Corps and later ran a successful business. Her political career began in 2002 when she won a seat in the Virginia House of Delegates, becoming the first Black Republican woman elected to the legislature. After a hiatus from public office, she re-emerged as a prominent conservative voice, emphasizing the dangers of progressive policies that she argues have negatively impacted states like Maryland.

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[i] https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1202757405184172&set=a.266322788827643&type=3

[ii]  https://dbm.maryland.gov/budget/Documents/operbudget/2026/proposed/FY2026MarylandStateBudgetHighlights.pdf

[iii] https://www.cato.org/multimedia/media-highlights-tv/stephen-slivinski-discusses-maryland-gov-wes-moores-tax-proposal; https://foxbaltimore.com/news/local/dont-maryland-my-virginia-campaign-slogan-sparks-debate-between-neighboring-states

[iv] https://virginiamercury.com/2024/12/18/youngkin-unveils-ambitious-budget-proposal-for-his-final-year-as-governor/

[v] https://www.governor.virginia.gov/newsroom/news-releases/2025/february/name-1041404-en.html

[vi] https://www.mdchamber.org/2024/10/29/charting-marylands-economic-competitiveness-spotlight-on-population-trends/

[vii] https://x.com/Bob_Ehrlich/status/1895144719555940365

[viii] https://www.ltgov.virginia.gov/the-lieutenant-governor/about-the-lieutenant-governor/

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