John,

Last month, my team reached out with an opportunity to ask me anything, and y’all delivered!

We received so many thoughtful questions and notes, and picked a few to answer. Let’s get into it:

Gordon asked, "What can you do for the workers that have just lost their jobs because of the cuts by the federal government?"

With so many Marylanders employed by the federal government, these reckless layoffs have hit us hard. I recently had the chance to speak with Madelyn, a woman from Ellicott City. Ten months ago, she landed her dream job with the National Park Service, working at Ft. McHenry.

On Valentine’s Day, Madelyn and five of her colleagues were fired by email, without warning. It’s outrageous. And it’s exactly why we’re taking action — because our people deserve better.

To support impacted Marylanders, we’ve expanded our workforce assistance portal, which connects displaced workers with job opportunities, and hosted job fairs across the state. We also partnered with Work for America, a nonprofit dedicated to recruiting public servants for state and local government jobs.

Jeffrey asked, "How do we most effectively fight fascism and take our country back?"

Be an active changemaker. Real patriotism means lifting each other up, whether by running for office, volunteering, donating, or speaking up at protests. That urge to act is what compelled me to run for governor — I wanted to be the person who has the pen in their hand, making a tangible impact on people’s lives.

Merida asked, “How will you protect education funding now that the President is trying to close the Department of Education?”

Ensuring every Maryland child receives a world-class education is a mission I hold dear. My mother prioritized education heavily. She worked multiple jobs so em and my siblings could attend good schools and ultimately succeed. But people shouldn’t have to sacrifice this much to access a quality education.

That’s why I’m working with our state legislature to pass The Excellence in Maryland Public Schools Act, which increases investments in teacher recruitment and retention. I’m also fighting to close the teacher shortage gap, and invest more in K-12 education so that no one gets left behind, no matter what the Trump administration does.

Drew asked, "What is your Chick & Ruth’s order?"

Now, you’re making me hungry. Crab cakes and waffles! 🦀🧇

That’s all I have time for today, but I’d love to keep this conversation going. Click here to ask me anything.

Elevate,

Wes