By Michael Phillips | MDBayNews
Fitzgerald Mofor — the tireless voter-registration activist many Maryland Republicans have referred to as “the Scott Presler of Maryland” — officially launched his 2026 campaign for the Maryland House of Delegates in District 9A this week, earning immediate endorsements from former State Senator Gail Bates and 2022 GOP nominee Dr. Jenny Zeng.
A Brookeville native and Sherwood High School graduate, Mofor played linebacker at the University of Alabama at Birmingham before returning home to knock on thousands of doors across Howard and Montgomery counties. On Thursday, he announced he’s running to bring what he calls “common-sense, taxpayer-first representation” back to a district that flipped Democratic in 2022 but remains one of the state’s most competitive.
“Families Are Being Priced Out”
“I’m running because families in Clarksville, Glenelg, Dayton, and Olney are being priced out by skyrocketing energy bills, a looming multi-billion-dollar deficit, and one-party policies that put ideology ahead of results,” Mofor said in a detailed announcement posted to X.
Mofor pointed to contrasts between the fiscal discipline of the Hogan years and the spending increases since 2023: roughly 5,000 new state government jobs, a 6% jump in expenditures, unfunded Kirwan Blueprint mandates, and — after revenues fell short — a projected multi-year structural deficit estimated by analysts at more than $3 billion. That shortfall ultimately led lawmakers to approve a $1.6 billion tax-and-fee package in the 2025 Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act.
“I cannot, in good conscience, sit idly by and watch my beloved home state deteriorate,” Mofor wrote. “That’s why we started Restore Maryland — to register new voters, wake up inactive ones, and build a coalition that demands effective, responsible governance.”
Early Endorsements Signal GOP Unity
Former State Senator Gail Bates, whose district previously overlapped much of today’s 9A, praised Mofor as someone who “represents the positive values of our state and nation” and “has a strong grasp of the issues.”
Dr. Jenny Zeng, the 2022 Republican nominee for the district, also endorsed Mofor, saying families in 9A are looking for leaders who will “stand up for working families, protect our freedoms, and restore common sense in Annapolis.”
The endorsements give Mofor early establishment and grassroots validation in a district where Republicans believe they can compete again in 2026.
A Platform Built on Kitchen-Table Issues
Mofor shapes his platform around five major concerns he says he hears repeatedly while canvassing:
• Fiscal responsibility and stopping additional tax hikes
• Targeted tax relief for middle-class households squeezed by rising costs
• Reliable, affordable energy that balances clean-energy goals with grid stability
• Real accountability for repeat juvenile offenders paired with rehabilitation that actually works
• Protecting property rights and ensuring transparent, reasonable growth in fast-expanding suburban corridors
A Competitive District in Play
District 9A — redrawn in 2022 to include Clarksville, Dayton, Glenelg, Highland, western Fulton, and parts of Olney, Ashton, and Sandy Spring — is affluent, educated, and politically mixed. Democrats Chao Wu and Natalie Ziegler flipped both seats in 2022, arguing their policies strengthen education and long-term infrastructure. Republicans counter that many families feel affordability pressures now.
With Mofor consolidating early support from prominent GOP figures, District 9A is shaping up as one of the top legislative battlegrounds next year.
Residents can learn more at mofor4md.com or follow campaign updates on X at @RestoreMD301.
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